I rather suspect it’s in human nature to spend at least a little time contemplating our own mortality. I, for one, try not to dwell too much on the inevitable end that awaits me, though that doesn’t mean I’ve ignored the questions of how, why, or when it might come.
Naturally, most of us like to imagine passing away peacefully, tucked up warm in bed at a ripe old age. A life fully lived, a dignified exit, a graceful handing over of the reins… you know the picture I mean.
But, if I may be blunt, reality rarely aligns with such tidy imaginings. Most of us won’t have the comfort of slipping quietly into whatever comes next without even realizing it. Accidents, illnesses, misfortune, and sheer bad luck often conspire to ensure that many of us die in ways far removed from our preferred scenarios.
Still, there are ways of dying—and then there are ways of dying.
