When I Die.

[kina]

I was wondering what people's thoughts are about the video below. It made me wonder whether children should be taught about the briefness and yet the great value, importance, and preciousness of life from an early age. Would this make people realize better what they are doing? Would this help them develop into better individuals who are more capable of being conscious of their actions and the repercussions of them? Of course, it's not an easy topic to approach with a young child, but not having a fear of death, I believe, might help fix some of the problems, both social and personal, that we face today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2eUw0CUuMc

[fluffy]

Great video, I'm a little speechless right now. Acceptance is a huge word, especially in a situation that can be so fraught with despair as facing the end of one's life, I can only hope that when my time comes I can face it with the grace that Mr. Gould showed.

As far as sharing this particular lesson with children, it would be a tender situation to present it without promoting needless fear in the child. Gratitude and appreciation for life's gifts is a no-brainer, funny that many of us can make it through to the end without ever learning these simple skills, but I wonder just how you would frame a lesson on death in particular in a form that would prove emotionally "benign" to a youngster. My thought is that children are born with enough innocence and wonder and joy to carry them through a lifetime, were it not for the "pollution" that the realities of life bring with it.

[mexi cali]

I can't speak for anyone but myself but my own thoughts are that it would be almost pointless to try to explain to a child who has yet to live life what it is or could be like to die.

I'm not sure if it could be considered cruel to try but looking at my own life, I would not have been able to comprehend anything as serious and final as death.

It certainly takes on more meaning as life advances and again, for myself, it has taken on more of a feeling of reality than the abstract way in which I used to view it. I carried a sense of invincibility with me perhaps longer than one should but once I hit 50, something changed and I look at life differently now.

For a child, I would prefer they not have to try to wrap their heads around anything as serious as death and as I said, I don't think that they could be expected too.

I can say that I don't see it as being as frightening as I once did, not to say that I'm in any kind of hurry to get there.

What a brave and generous man.

[kina]

I agree with all that has been posted here actually. Both sides should be considered. Guess I was just trying to look for a "shortcut" in a sense to getting people to realize how precious life is since I don't see the current attitude most seem to have working very well.