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Description
Many have asked me to explain death to them.

I'm going to say this up front: death is scary, yes.  It is one of the scariest things that you will ever experience.  However, a common misconception is that death is also sad.  This is not so; in fact, death is one of the happiest, most exhilarating things that one will ever experience.  It is not a means to an end, but rather just another part of the journey.  It is indistinguishable from life.

Perhaps a metaphor will better explain what I'm trying to say.

Death is like standing on the edge of a skyscraper with paper mache wings.

Your toes are curling over the ledge, your arms outspread, and your eyes closed tightly.  The wind is blowing your hair in your face, pushing you from behind, telling you to go.  But your feet desperately grip the concrete.  You know you have to, but you're absolutely scared out of your mind.  Apprehensively, you peek open one eye and look down.  The building seems to shoot up into the sky as you see the pavement, so many stories below, hard and unforgiving.  You snap your head up and close your eye again.  Your heart is about to beat out of your chest, and your breathing is frantic and shallow.  Your balance is being compromised by the wind, but you hold yourself back.

What if my wings fail?  What if I don't make it?  What about my family?  My friends?  My loves?

And then there they are, all standing with you on that ledge.

But they are not scared.

Soft smiles lighten their faces as they gently grab your hand and squeeze.

They are not scared.

You take a deep breath, open your eyes, and look at them.

They are not scared.

You look down.

The pavement still looks hard, but you start to forget why landing on it is such a bad thing.

They are not scared.

You look up at the sky before you.  Its crisp blue speckled by puffs of white looks so inviting….

They are not scared.

Your toes begin to relax.  Your grip on the edge loosens.

They are not scared.

The wind is no longer pushing against you, but with you.
They are not scared.

You are not scared.

There is nothing under you but the air as you jump.
And you fall.

But you don't care.  You are not scared!  Fly or fall, it's all about the rush, the experience, the good times, Hell, even the bad times, rather than what happens after you're gone.  Your wings are still behind you, useless, and the pavement is growing closer and closer, but you open your mouth and laugh like an idiot.  Who cares if you hit the pavement?  This is amazing!  Astounding!  The happiest, most exciting moment of your life!

It's feet away now.  Any second you'll be done with a sickening splat.
Your wings suddenly spread in a blaze of light and glory.  The wind catches them and you soar, high above the pavement, high above the skyscraper, high above everything, into that crisp blue and puffy white.

Description
Many have asked me to explain death to them.

I'm going to say this up front: death is scary, yes.  It is one of the scariest things that you will ever experience.  However, a common misconception is that death is also sad.  This is not so; in fact, death is one of the happiest, most exhilarating things that one will ever experience.  It is not a means to an end, but rather just another part of the journey.  It is indistinguishable from life.

Perhaps a metaphor will better explain what I'm trying to say.

Death is like standing on the edge of a skyscraper with paper mache wings.

Your toes are curling over the ledge, your arms outspread, and your eyes closed tightly.  The wind is blowing your hair in your face, pushing you from behind, telling you to go.  But your feet desperately grip the concrete.  You know you have to, but you're absolutely scared out of your mind.  Apprehensively, you peek open one eye and look down.  The building seems to shoot up into the sky as you see the pavement, so many stories below, hard and unforgiving.  You snap your head up and close your eye again.  Your heart is about to beat out of your chest, and your breathing is frantic and shallow.  Your balance is being compromised by the wind, but you hold yourself back.

What if my wings fail?  What if I don't make it?  What about my family?  My friends?  My loves?

And then there they are, all standing with you on that ledge.

But they are not scared.

Soft smiles lighten their faces as they gently grab your hand and squeeze.

They are not scared.

You take a deep breath, open your eyes, and look at them.

They are not scared.

You look down.

The pavement still looks hard, but you start to forget why landing on it is such a bad thing.

They are not scared.

You look up at the sky before you.  Its crisp blue speckled by puffs of white looks so inviting….

They are not scared.

Your toes begin to relax.  Your grip on the edge loosens.

They are not scared.

The wind is no longer pushing against you, but with you.
They are not scared.

You are not scared.

There is nothing under you but the air as you jump.
And you fall.

But you don't care.  You are not scared!  Fly or fall, it's all about the rush, the experience, the good times, Hell, even the bad times, rather than what happens after you're gone.  Your wings are still behind you, useless, and the pavement is growing closer and closer, but you open your mouth and laugh like an idiot.  Who cares if you hit the pavement?  This is amazing!  Astounding!  The happiest, most exciting moment of your life!

It's feet away now.  Any second you'll be done with a sickening splat.
Your wings suddenly spread in a blaze of light and glory.  The wind catches them and you soar, high above the pavement, high above the skyscraper, high above everything, into that crisp blue and puffy white.