By Piason Maringwa
Life is a very tragic affair which starts very happily and ends very sadly because all lives end with death.
The distance between life and death is so thin that one moment one is alive and the next moment one is gone to thy kingdom come never to return again. Death is a very painful occasion especially to those left behind those very close to the deceased such as loved ones, children, spouses or siblings and other close relatives. I also feel death is a type of healing especially in cases where the deceased has been ill for a long period from a very painful disease or injuries.
Many people respond to death differently depending on how close to the deceased they are. The closer they are the more painful and heartbreaking it is. In my opinion I think issues to do with death should be taken seriously and should be included in the school curriculum and in churches to prepare people for its eventuality.
The way some people respond to issues to do with death is so troubling and some end up suffering from depression and other stress related illnesses. Death is so old that by now everyone should be able to cope with it easily but that is not the case everyone fears death.
There is a lot of literature on death but very little practical teaching is being done to empower people with death coping skills.
We have had instances where people have fainted or died after receiving death messages of loved ones .In some cases people find it very difficult to inform relatives of deceased persons for fear of causing emotional harm to their relatives who in some cases are hypertensive.
Body viewing is another area that needs careful handling as some viewers have fainted or died during this terrible time. What most people forget is that every day we are viewing bodies only difference being that one is alive and the other is dead. All of us are bodies that are alive one day and dead the other day so I think we need to understand this fact.
Viewing a dead body shouldn’t be something frightening as most people want to make it. Every adult should be familiar with death because it is everyone’s destination irrespective of one’s social status or standing. Death is an equaliser as it affects all.
