Death—The Universal Scourge
EACH year some 50 million people die around the globe. That translates into 137,000 a day, 5,700 an hour, about 100 a minute, or over 3 persons every two seconds. No family is exempt from the scourge of death. King or commoner, rich or poor, male or female—all alike die.
“In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes,” wrote the famous American publisher, inventor, and diplomat Benjamin Franklin to a friend in 1789. His observation, however, was not unique. About 2,800 years earlier, wise King Solomon of the ancient nation of Israel stated: “The living are conscious that they will die.” Yet, he merely confirmed what was said some 3,000 years earlier to the very first human on earth: “Dust you are and to dust you will return.”—Ecclesiastes 9:5; Genesis 3:19.
As inevitable as death has been throughout human history, it is still a source of great sorrow. It has rightly been said that our normal desire is to live, not die. The relationships we have with family and friends are strong bonds that cry for continuance. But one by one, as the years advance, these bonds are broken by death. Our grandparents, parents, and friends die.
“The facts are that centenarians surviving beyond their 113th year are of the extremest rarity and the present absolute limit of proven human longevity does not admit of anyone living to celebrate any birthday after their 120th,” states the Guinness Book of World Records. Therefore, no one is alive today who witnessed the birth of Winston Churchill (1874) or that of Mohandas Gandhi (1869), the sale of Alaska to the United States by Russia in 1867, or the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865—not to mention all the events of history that preceded these of the 19th century.
Actually, despite all modern medical and scientific breakthroughs, the human life span still amounts to that which was stated by the ancient man Moses: “The days of our years are seventy years; and if because of special mightiness they are eighty years, yet their insistence is on trouble and hurtful things; for it must quickly pass by, and away we fly.” (Psalm 90:10) This was a generalization. Moses himself lived 120 years.
As troubled as life may be, bereavement brings special pain and grief. Often it has an adverse impact on the health of those left behind and has even been known to precipitate illness and death. No matter which member of a family dies, there is a great sense of loss. As one psychiatrist put it, “when your parent dies, you have lost your past. When your child dies, you have lost your future.” The distress and emotional strain that follow can be beyond description. Financial resources are often heavily taxed, making matters worse. Pressure to adhere to certain funeral practices and customs can add to the grief.
Is there any way, though, that we can alleviate some of the stress and burdens that befall us when a loved one dies?