Of death

Death. What a scary thing, yet is something everything must have happen to it. From the one celled germ to the mightiest of trees or whales. Even rocks, though not really alive even can crumple to dust. The whole earth will die in time too.
How should death be seen by those not dead or dying? Some celebrate it as in New Orleans with a jazz band, though most are somber affairs. What is beyond? Are we just out of existence, like that? Is there a heaven? Is there hell? One or both? Are near death experiences real, or the mind working in strange ways?

I think of these things now because my Uncle Tom, AKA in the family "Crazy Uncle Tom", has taken a turn for the worst with a quick acting cancer. He has between 1 day and 2 months. Most likely it will be sooner then later.

I spoke to him just tonight.
I said thank you for the good times, that I'd see him again one day and also asked him 2 things. First was "How do you react to death?", simply he said "You just accept it and deal with it". The second was, what advice he could give, sadly he faded out but said cryptically almost "You'll figure it out and put it together". He faded badly as he is in great pain at that point and we said our goodbyes, quite literally.

Though I have had some friends die, most were older and it was expected almost. Plus I wasn't super close to them either, but close enough. 2 of my Grandparents (One from each side at different times) died, but I was to young really to know them really, let alone remotely understand death. Reading of death in Wars does not really prepare you, even more since mostly they are very quick.
So this is the first serious death I've had to deal with in the family. It is strange. Doesn't feel real. I'm so far away from it. Almost expecting it to be some crazy prank and since he is still alive to just stay living.

Well, I guess the best thing is to think of the person alive and happy, the good times, Etc.
Though pain will happen surely, if the memory of the person is kept alive and well, will they really truly die? And when the time comes for us, how will we deal with it? Though, Uncle Tom seemed rather accepting of death and quite simple it seemed on the subject. Just deal with it and accept it. That seems like good advice. When the time comes, I hope I can be brave like him and not fearful of the next great journey, the greatest journey I'll ever have.

Now, for Shakespeare-

“Of all the wonders that I yet have heard,
It seems to me most strange that men should fear;
Seeing that death, a necessary end,
Will come when it will come.”