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When Death Smiles at Us All We Can Do Is Smile Back

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When Death Smiles at Us All We Can Do Is Smile Back
Paige Brandao
Ms. Sansevere
EN-102-45
8 May 2012
When Death Smiles at Us All We Can Do Is Smile Back.
Death smiles at us all, all one can do is smile back. People always hear the word death and automatically think bad thoughts. However, this is not always true. In life people fear dying and death, but really death can be good, and there is such thing as a “good death.” Everyday hundreds of people die all different ways, but what they die for is what signifies the importance of their death and how they personally feel about dying. If you fear death than death is not something good its something negative, a closing to your life: instead of a new beginning of something different. Something most people do not realize though death is not what we should be worrying about, the life we live up to the point right before we die should be our only concern.
People can die at any moment. There are sometimes signs but also it can come sudden and unexpected. So really you could die right now and never get another moment to live again. So why do people worry about death? Why would someone worry and stress about something that they cant control, when instead they should be worrying about how they can improve there lives, and could help and leave ever lasting memories in the peoples lives around them, so no one would ever forget them. That’s the key, is to be remembered. If you go through life and not talk to anyone or do anything than you can die and it would be like no one even knew you were born. But this is what Socrates explains in his speech “The Apology,” to live life, and to live life to the fullest would leave you with no regrets and nothing left behind, this is what we consider to be a good death, this is the reason no one would ever forget you, because your story will always be passed on as someone who is worth remembering.
Socrates was a Greek Philosopher in the Golden Age. He lived in Athens, Greece and died in 399 BC. He preached on ethics, challenged



Cited: “Assisted Suicide Laws Around the World- Assisted Suicide Laws Around the World. www.assistedsuicide.org. Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization (ERGO), 1 March 2009.Web. 04/26/12 Aurelius, Marcus, “Meditations (167 CE)” Ideas Across Time: Classic and Contemporary Readings for Composition. Ed. Igor Webb. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. 646-650. Book. Clarke, Linda E. and Jennifer D. De Jong, “What is a Good Death? Stories from Palliative Care.” Journal of Palliative Care. 25:1. (2009): 61-67. Proquest. Web. 04/26/12 Humphry, Derek. “Liberty and Death: A manifesto concerning an individual’s right to choose to die.” www.assistedsuicide.org. Euthanasia Research & Guidance Organization (ERGO), 24 March 2009. Web. 04/26/12 Nuland, Sherwin B., “Suicide and Euthanasia (1993).” Ideas Across Time: Classic and Contemporary Readings for Composition. Ed. Igor Webb. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. 696-701 Plato, “Socrates’s Defense (Apology) (399BCE)” Ideas Across Time: Classic and Contemporary Readings for Composition. Ed. Igor Webb. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2008. 640-645. Book. Shneidman, Edwin, “Criteria for a Good Death.” Suicide and Life- Threatening Behavior. 37(3), (June 2007): 245-247. Proquest. Web. 04/26/12

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