I’m 20, and therefore, I am immortal.
Okay, not really, but apart from a few emo episodes, I never really consider that I could die. It wasn’t until 2 years ago that I realized people my parents’ age died. That was when my Uncle Russ died. Now, as I write this, my uncle Melvin is in the hospital, fighting for his life, after a really horrible accident yesterday morning.
It puts my mortality into perspective, I think. I mean, I expect my grandparents and older people to die. Luckily, apart from my maternal grandfather, none of them have. But, it’s inevitable, I suppose. Having aunts and uncles and parents coming to a point where they could die as well, although not as likely, has been a bit of a shock.
The truth is after their generation is gone, who’s next? … We are.
I am.
It’s frightening.
I know how you feel. Sometimes we humans feel invicible, immortal. When in reality we are living a bubble, because death is inevitable.
Wow my comment was very depresssing. :P
I know how you feel too. It’s scary. I wish your uncle the best. My dad randomly died a few months after I turned 20.
All the deaths in my family have happened this year. I’m a bit ambivalent towards death.. I’ve never felt “immortal” in the sense that you’re talking about because I never associated “death” with “old age.” It could happen to anyone any time and completely without warning. But at the same time, having deaths in the family has taught me the importance of life and living out my years as best as I can so that when I *do* get old and die, I can look back and smile.
I hope your uncle pulls through and that everything turns out okay.
I really hope your uncle makes it through okay.
You’ve done a very good job on freaking me out Aisling. A very good job. *goes to ponder deeply*
I hope things go well for your uncle’s condition.
I know how freaky that can be…
Also, that thought crosses my mind sometimes as well. I’m so sure that when I hit 25 I’m going to have a “quarter life crisis” about how I’m getting older and just how old my parents really are. They are both half a century old!! It’s definitely something to ponder…
I started thinking that way when I turned 18, too. There were a lot of deaths in the family that year, one being a cousin only ten years old than I. I hate thinking about death, because I start freaking myself out. I don’t want to get old; I don’t want to die, either.
I’m sorry to hear that
I hope your uncle gets better.
In fact - today, my mum’s cousin died. She told me he had a sore pain in his side and the doctor just gave him painkillers. The next day he got rushed to hospital - only to wait for four hours and then suffer from internal bleeding. Thanks, doctors.
I *do* have a point with that story - my mum said to me tonight “it’s weird to think that I played with him when I was younger, and now he’s dead. Could I be next?” (he’s my second cousin). Again, I hope your uncle gets better
Gosh, I think about dying everyday…it’s something I have always struggled with and as a 20 year old that is strange. Most people my age don’t think about it, I’ve always thought about it since I can remember. I have never had death in my family because all my grandparents are so young and I really never got to meet my great grandparents. Death is so scary and I’m a Christian even but it is still hard to cope with.
I will pray for your uncle and I hope he gets well soon. I will say that I am glad to read all these comments people have left and know that I am not the only one who struggles with the thought of death. When I think about it I get this sinking feeling in my stomach and I even cry sometimes. Then I just pray for God to help me and I feel better. I don’t know if that sounds stupid or not, but it helps me…