I literally have a LONG list of specific topics to write about for the next several Thursdays, but today I am going to go kind of deep because I am going to talk about death and dying young. *(I know age is relative, but I am talking people aged between 18-40)
I am willing to bet that most people's natural reaction when they hear about someone young suddenly dying is "OMG, HOW did they die?"
It’s like you have to know. Was it suicide? Was it an accident? Was this person sick with something?
What is it that compels us to think these thoughts? Morbid curiosity? Sympathy? Fear? Is it the thought of facing our own mortality?
The sudden death of a former acquaintance (good friend from HS's older brother) last week at the age of 33 or so has me thinking about this. I hadn’t seen him in probably 10 years or so, but I do know that he had a girlfriend and a young baby. The story as I know it is that he had strep throat, was on antibiotics, went to bed one night and never woke up.
Death of young people is especially sad and tragic, but it always seems saddest when small children are left behind.
Who is ever prepared for that?
How many young people have a plan in place in case of sudden death of either yourself or your spouse? A will? Life insurance policies? Do you talk about these things or it something you'd rather avoid?
Something to think about because you just never know when it'll be your time.
Would you be content with how you lived your life if today were your last day?
Deep and kind of depressing, I know. Thanks to anyone who wishes to share their thoughts.
**********************************************************************************************
Other girls particpating in this weeks TFT:
Amy on the first year of marriage
Nicole on being a "perfect mom"
Michelle on gender preference in utero
This is really a good post. One of my moms co-workers died at 21. This was maybe a couple of weeks ago. When they found her she was next to her car. She was leaving work because she didnt' feel well. Turns out she had a blood vessel in her head that burst. It is VERY important to have a plan, I don't care how old you are because things DO happen. My husband and I both have our plans.
Posted by: adrienne | October 25, 2007 at 01:50 PM
I think about this often and it scares me. We do have insurance policies in place. And we have just recently talked about a will. We've talked about our wishes for eachother and for our baby. It's not a nice topic but it is something that needs to be talked about. Hopefully we won't ever need the insurance or the will :)
Posted by: Mary | October 25, 2007 at 02:21 PM
Four years ago my cousin who passed away at age 25. She had a heart condition, was pregnant with their second child and had switched blood thinner meds and by doing that she developed a blood clot that killed her. She left behind a husband and 4 year old son. Its so sad when anyone dies, and especially so when young adults and children die.
Crazily enough... we do NOT have life insurance or wills in place. Thats something I've been wanting to do for the past 2 years but just never seem to get around to it. I really NEED to. Soon. Because you never know.
Posted by: NIc | October 25, 2007 at 03:02 PM
wow. i read this after having read the blog i'm about to post to...please send this fellow blogger your thoughts.
http://that33girl.blogspot.com/
warning: your heart will break.
Posted by: zoe | October 25, 2007 at 03:08 PM
can't even imagine.
Posted by: amy | October 25, 2007 at 04:03 PM
Jade and I are really good about this stuff. I mean, God forbid if one of us were to go, but it happens. We have several Life Insurance policies. One in which, I would be set for life if Jade died. We do have a will.
I know that nobody wants to think about this stuff, but it's reality.
Posted by: Leslie | October 26, 2007 at 09:24 AM
you never know when it will be your time.
we do have life insurance, but no will. i have been thinking about this since tucker was born, but haven't done anything yet. i know it is important - but it is so easy to put off - thinking you don't have to worry about it. but i have to get it done - sooner rather than later too.
Posted by: jenny | October 26, 2007 at 10:06 AM
Dying young is so Sad! My mom's parents died when she was little. Her mom when she was only 7 and her dad when she was 14. I know that is has affected her life emensely. She always tried to give us everything that she never had when she was growing up and has always hated Mother and Fathers Day! She always wished that she had her parents in her life and I doubt ever stopped loving them. I hope that Dying Young never hits close to home with any of my family. I can't even imagine just how difficult that would be.
Posted by: Denise H | October 26, 2007 at 10:42 AM
Great post Kristi! I don't think anyone wants to think about dying young, so it's easy to put off things like a will and Life Insurance. However, it's also a necessity to have them. Life Insurance is something you should get young because 1) it's cheaper than when you're older and 2) it's a wonderful tax sheltered investment. That and a Roth IRA are probably the two biggest investments that you should make in your late teens/early 20's.
Posted by: Jeff Sauer | October 26, 2007 at 11:34 AM
Yes...this is something I think about all the time. It scares me to think my boys would grow up without my husband or I. I have come to find I just have to live each day to it's most and be content at the end of the day that I did my best and my kids know I love them! Another reason I like to scrap is that if something were to happen to me they would have those pages I created to look at and think about.
Posted by: Noel | October 26, 2007 at 04:03 PM
Wow, very morbid but a huge deal with young people, more so I think. Nobody expects to die young, but it happens. Bri and I have life insurance policies, but we have danced around the will. It's hard to decide who will raise your kids if you can't. It's a heartbreaking thought and a decision that I frankly don't want to make. I never want to think that my girls won't have their parent's, but what's even worse is their future if we don't make decisions. Could you imagine how many people would be fighting for them? Personally, only Bri and I can choose who they will go to, people who so closely resemble the two of us. Ok, enough said.
Posted by: Michelle Sauer | October 27, 2007 at 09:57 AM