Very well said. We are the only species who really knows about death, hence we go into denial. I watch my dogs die and it is usually calm. I always help protect them.
I also protect friends if I can.
My focus is on my life which had so much joy.

Due to the fact that everyone avoids the subject of death as if you do not say it, it will not happen, it does because death is a part of living, and each one of us has a designated allotted amount of time here and it is what we choose to do with that time and who we spend our time with that evolves of our lifetime strengthen our connections to our people, our community and ourselves. Death is a fact of life that every one of us must embrace because eventually it does happen to everyone. it is the when, the where, the how, the who will be with you, or will you be alone when it happens that perplexes everyone and makes us search for answers. What you do from the time you are born until the time you die does matter. That is your living legacy. Enjoy your life while you can because you only live once.

As a person who spent 50 years in medical research, mostly cancer, we have improved so much. However, humans are in denial about death. We are living longer than ever in the developed world. However, I notice that patients wait for symptoms before going to doctors, and try methods unproved. Many cancers don’t have much pain, and lung cancer is one. So people get diagnosed too late for cure. That is most common. Had I not gone into medical research, I would have missed saving many lives. But I started testing based on genetics at age 40. Several of my parents generation had cancer. When a 39 year old colleague died of colon cancer, I woke up as my dad had colon cancer. Mom and her sister had breast cancer. I became a test freak and was saved from 5 mortal diseases. My nearest hospital was UCLA. A great hospital.
But even now my 81 year old friend won’t go for routine texting. She has no medical background and won’t listen to common sense. She is lucky to be alive at all.
Doctors aren’t trained to encourage testing, insurance companies aren’t either. The skills are there but are ignored. I see in this group many waiting too long, avoiding surgery, and so many at advanced Stage. Our government certainly doesn’t help. Lawyers making medical decisions for gods sake!
My fear is that I will live too long and suffer. I am the youngest of my generation and have already watched family die. Friends die. So many Covid died. To this day vaccines are avoided. I live 500 miles from family and have for 50 years as I pursued research. My family don’t really know me, and certainly my nieces and nephews never call. My husband died, no calls. No funeral as who would attend? Ashes sit in a box. Too be buried under a pretty tree.
Please, everyone, heart and cancer are leading causes of death. Global warming will kill us too. So will war.
If we don’t pay attention, we humans damage.
Right now there are more older humans and less younger. The young are afraid, with good reason.
As I have no kids, my estates will go to save the planet.