The most common answer to a question came from the most personal question in the survey. Which I found weird but exactly aligned with my beliefs; do you know how you want to be taken care of when you die? The answer came with a straight face from every person; no I’m too young. I have the same feelings toward the issue because it just brings sad thoughts to the forefront of my mind. When people are young they tend to try to stay away from death. As children we our kept away from it and as teenagers we our taught that it can happen to any one at anytime. As adults we have to lean to embrace it because it is all around us everyday. Even though adults don’t want to think about death they can’t be blind to it because it’s their job to talk care of the dead. Most people in my interviews had been to funerals in their families, which means that they have seen what taken care of the dead is like but none of them knew how they wanted to be taken care of when they die. It’s a hard topic for a young person to think about but I think it’s important for every young person to give it some thought. You never know what could happen in the crazy world we live in.
Person # 1
Q: Have you had family members die in your life?
A: Yes, many. Three out of four of my grandparents and my uncle have died.
Q: Have you been to a funeral?
A: I have been to all the funerals in my family and more.
Q: If you have been to funerals, were they religiously oriented?
A: Yes my whole family is Jewish. We always sit Shiva, comforting the person who lost a love one and we always follow the wishes of the person passing in how they want to be berried.
Q: What our your belief on care of the dead?
A: I think that the dead should be put in their resting places as fast as possibly to move them to the after life.
Q: Do you know how you want to be taken care of when you die?
A: NO!!!! Don’t want to think about that.
Person # 2
Q: Have you had family members die in your life?
A: Yes, just one.
Q: Have you been to a funeral?
A: Yes only one.
Q: If you have been to funerals, were they religiously oriented?
A: No it was not, my father just wanted the people that cared about him to pay their respects and for him to be berried.
Q: What our your belief on care of the dead?
A: The dead should be cared for because it’s respectful.
Q: Do you know how you want to be taken care of when you die?
A: No I’m too young
Person # 3
Q: Have you had family members die in your life?
A: No, not yet.
Q: Have you been to a funeral?
A: Yes a friend of mine committed suicide.
Q: If you have been to funerals, were they religiously oriented?
A: Yes it took place in a church because she was catholic. There was a wake before she was berried.
Q: What our your belief on care of the dead?
A: I believe that the care of the dead needs to be respected and taken care of.
Q: Do you know how you want to be taken care of when you die?
A: I have thought about it but it made me cry so I stopped. I’m too young to this about it.
Person # 4
Q: Have you had family members die in your life?
A: Yes my grandparents.
Q: Have you been to a funeral?
A: Yes it was sad.
Q: If you have been to funerals, were they religiously oriented?
A: Yes my family is catholic. The ceremony took place in a church and there was a wake.
Q: What our your belief on care of the dead?
A: The dead is to be cared for by the living it is like the cycle of life.
Q: Do you know how you want to be taken care of when you die?
A: Too much time left to live.
I was shocked that everyone you interviewed was unsure of how they wanted to be buried, yes it's a sad thing and yes we are young but it eventually has to be talked about. Although I don't know exactly what I want once I die I do know that I want my funereal to be like a party and I don't want people to be sad and cry. I enjoyed that you asked everyone if the funeral was religiously orientated, and reading about how Jewish families handle death was interesting. Over all your post was good, just reread your work for grammar and spelling mistakes. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteI can see what you were talking about when you said that most teens share your point of view because all of them felt that they were too young to think about death and all of them have had a personal experience with death.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that teenagers should not think about how they want to be berried. It's a depressing topic that I would not want anyone to think about till they have to. Young people have a lot of life left to live, they should not rush to think about the end of it. The line "As children we our kept away from it and as teenagers we our taught that it can happen to any one at anytime. As adults we have to lean to embrace it because it is all around us everyday." caught my attention because this is social norm that is in place here in the United states but not in most other countries. I wonder if you compared this process to other country. What would you find similar and different about it. Great Post. - Mentor
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