Issue 49.14
My wife recently had the stomach flu. Cries of “I just want to die” could be heard throughout the house. I remembered reading once that some people fear throwing up more than dying. Can that possibly be true? Not for me. So in jest I told my wife, “When I’m old and on my deathbed, I’ll be saying, ‘I’d rather be throwing up!’”
In all sincerity, fear of death is common. Karen M. Wyatt, M.D., recently wrote a piece for the Huffington Post entitled “Six Steps to Rise Above Your Fear of Death.” To quote Dr. Wyatt, “Death represents the ultimate unknown, a territory in which we have no experience and no control. So it is natural to feel fear when we think about death and also natural to avoid those thoughts whenever possible. But it turns out that this avoidance of death doesn’t serve us well in the end. When we haven’t thought about death’s meaning or impact for ourselves or our loved ones, we can be caught unprepared and unable to cope when sudden tragedy strikes. Then we are more likely to make hasty decisions out of desperation that we may later regret.”
So how do individuals work though this fear? Dr. Wyatt suggests the following: Think about it. Spend some time each week allowing yourself to ponder death. Write about it. Use your journal to record your thoughts and explore you fears of death. Read about it. There are many excellent books that discuss death from various perspectives. Learn about it. There’s nothing better than education to counteract fear, so take time to learn some factual information about death, talk about it. Don’t be afraid to have a conversation concerning death. And finally, Work with it. Become a volunteer for a community hospice organization.
As a funeral director, I regularly work with people who have a genuine fear of death. Sometimes it is even difficult for them to come into a funeral home, but we strive to alleviate fear through education. We invite you to visit our beautiful facility, take a private tour, and ask questions. Taking the time to preplan one’s service and to gather information can provide a great sense of peace.
Serenity Funeral Home offers affordable, respectful, and dignified funeral care. We are located just off Riverside Drive at 1316 S. 400 E., St. George, UT, (435) 986-2085, www.SerenityStG.com.