MORE RUNNING AWAY FROM DEATH

The new pages, Life Tributes, in the SF Chronicle are the newest way to not refer to death. Obituaries and death notices are gone. Celebrations of life are the new funeral. We hate to be sad and reminded about how will miss our family members and friends who have died. Mourning is a bad word.

What happens to a person after they die is unspeakable. There is either a life of some kind after death or oblivion. Gatherings after someone dies should be places where people may mourn and share their sorrows. A good party is the place to tell the stories, celebrate a life and have good food. As for me I prefer a big old funeral service in church with music and prayers, tears and a proper looking at death and suffering in the face.

It is sad for a newspaper to contribute to society’s unwillingness to face the reality of the sting of death.