Saturday, December 9, 2006
Many of the most powerful human emotions are tied to the cessation of life. The end of life can bring families, communities, nations, and sometimes even the world, to a standstill. When a sudden or tragic death occurs, this becomes a time for contemplation.
SOBERING REALITY: For many—such as the woman above, who discovered that she was infected with HIV by her husband—facing the reality of one’s own death comes suddenly.
Photo: KRT
In the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, the entire world stopped in its tracks. People of every nation found themselves asking, “What if I had lost my family members?” Witnessing other people die on their television screens—in real time—was an emotionally overwhelming experience. What about all the victims of that tragic day? Do they have a future beyond death? Or are their lives over—forever?
Consider the destructive aftermaths of the earthquake in Pakistan in October 2005 and the December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. The struggle for survival; thousands left homeless; stories of those who would never see their families again—all tugged at the heartstrings of the entire world and stirred a sea of emotions.
And then there is the personal grief one feels when a close family member or friend dies, which can almost seem unbearable. There are few things in life starker than facing the harsh reality that you will never again see that person in this life. All that remains are photographs and memories.
Is this all there is to life? Is there anything after death?
SOBERING REALITY: For many—such as the woman above, who discovered that she was infected with HIV by her husband—facing the reality of one’s own death comes suddenly.
Photo: KRT
In the 9/11 World Trade Center attack, the entire world stopped in its tracks. People of every nation found themselves asking, “What if I had lost my family members?” Witnessing other people die on their television screens—in real time—was an emotionally overwhelming experience. What about all the victims of that tragic day? Do they have a future beyond death? Or are their lives over—forever?
Consider the destructive aftermaths of the earthquake in Pakistan in October 2005 and the December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. The struggle for survival; thousands left homeless; stories of those who would never see their families again—all tugged at the heartstrings of the entire world and stirred a sea of emotions.
And then there is the personal grief one feels when a close family member or friend dies, which can almost seem unbearable. There are few things in life starker than facing the harsh reality that you will never again see that person in this life. All that remains are photographs and memories.
Is this all there is to life? Is there anything after death?
