Rhyd6 wrote:Why are people so afraid to use this word? People no longer say he/she died - they passed away, left us, departed. There was an announcement in our local paper todat re the death of a local funeral director and even they referred to "his demise". I've left strict instructions to my children that when I die the notice they put in the paper must refer to me "Popping my clogs". it might make someone smile.
'People' is too much of a generalisation, don't you think?
Some people are, some people are not. Those people who prefer to use the death word are more likely to notice when other people don't. And vice versa. Probably. So while it's a valid topic for discussion it's ultimately pointless because there are no rights or wrongs about it, only personal preferences and respecting other people's choices.
Much the same could be said about funerals. Some people seem to want lavish funerals with all the trimmings, which is perfectly fine by me. Personally, I hate funerals and do not understand why anyone would want to make a big thing about such a sad event as someone's death. But again, there are so many different traditions and beliefs surrounding death that there cannot be just one way to deal with it. Personal preferences.
I've left my body to medical science. When I die they will come and collect me and that will be that. No funeral, no announcements in the papers, no cost, no fuss. Anyone wanting to say nice things about a dead person really ought to make the effort to do it while they are alive, rather than say it to a coffin, when it's too late really. But that's just my own personal preference.