Most people aren't ready to die. I certainly am not. And, we spend so little time talking about death that it keeps becoming this terror looming over us as we age. I haven't seen my grandparents or parents in about 3 years now, due to COVID restricting travel, and hearing the stories about people losing their family members without being able to see them or say goodbye was heartwrenching. This also makes our death rituals so important, as it's a way to honour that life and their death. And these rituals should not be at the expense of other life. They should be our way to attain closure and remember that death is a natural part of our lives. I envision a world where we can talk about death and choose to return back to the earth in a way that doesn't harm other life.
I think normalizing conversation around death can help us prepare for loss. Nothing will change the grief we will feel, but maybe we can view death in a less traumatizing way if we understand it better. Talking about death will also encourage more investment palliative care and burial methods, making sustainable options available to all at lower costs. Even if we can't predict our death, maybe we can choose how we return back to the ecosystem. I also feel that when we think about sustainiable ways of dying, we might feel a little bit less scared about not existing anymore. Because, we will exist. In the form of ashes or a body, we can replenish the ground and animals, which then provide energy for other animals. This way, we can exist in our ecosystem itself, after death. Maybe this perspective will help us normalize discussions, which can in turn normalize education on death care. More tangibly, maybe funeral homes can also make these options more readily available for those looking to put their loved ones at rest.