2008 Woodie Awards
Staring death in the face
By: Zach Franks
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: Forum
While we all deal with death in our own way, it is safe to say that most of us get the same gut-retching feeling when we learn of the passing of loved ones and acquaintances.
I don't know how many deaths the normal American deals with in his or her lifetime, but it seems that I have far surpassed many of my fellow civilians. I am not looking for any sympathy here - I am quite comfortable with the idea of death, seeing as how it is inescapable.
What I am looking for is for a lot more compassion and a lot more accountability. I shall explain.
Like most young adults, I have had to deal with elder members of my family passing away. Unlike most young adults, at least from a rural perspective, I have watched many classmates pass away much too young.
For some reason the class I graduated high school with has been very unlucky. We have lost a classmate on the average of one every other year since the fifth grade, and I only graduated with about 145.
While many lose classmates through the years, and some lose multiple classmates at once, it seems that the rate at which our graduating class lost them, especially for our size and location, is a quite ridiculous.
I know that larger schools and ones in more urbanized areas have experienced a great deal of loss when it comes to the passing of classmates, but I am always concerned by the lack of change in behaviors in the student body.
It seems like when you lose someone to a car accident you are more likely to wear your seatbelt, and less likely to drive intoxicated, at least for a while.
The problem is that the memory of the accident eventually fades and you are right back to making the same decisions that you did before the fateful event.
When somebody close to you dies from cancer, you promise to quit smoking, live healthier or visit your physician more often. These things often fade away as well, leaving you just as prone to the same fate as you were before. Many of us do make these changes and promises permanent, just not enough of us.
I don't know how many deaths the normal American deals with in his or her lifetime, but it seems that I have far surpassed many of my fellow civilians. I am not looking for any sympathy here - I am quite comfortable with the idea of death, seeing as how it is inescapable.
What I am looking for is for a lot more compassion and a lot more accountability. I shall explain.
Like most young adults, I have had to deal with elder members of my family passing away. Unlike most young adults, at least from a rural perspective, I have watched many classmates pass away much too young.
For some reason the class I graduated high school with has been very unlucky. We have lost a classmate on the average of one every other year since the fifth grade, and I only graduated with about 145.
While many lose classmates through the years, and some lose multiple classmates at once, it seems that the rate at which our graduating class lost them, especially for our size and location, is a quite ridiculous.
I know that larger schools and ones in more urbanized areas have experienced a great deal of loss when it comes to the passing of classmates, but I am always concerned by the lack of change in behaviors in the student body.
It seems like when you lose someone to a car accident you are more likely to wear your seatbelt, and less likely to drive intoxicated, at least for a while.
The problem is that the memory of the accident eventually fades and you are right back to making the same decisions that you did before the fateful event.
When somebody close to you dies from cancer, you promise to quit smoking, live healthier or visit your physician more often. These things often fade away as well, leaving you just as prone to the same fate as you were before. Many of us do make these changes and promises permanent, just not enough of us.
Be the first to comment on this story