Death: Learning to LiveWhat is death? What makes death such an avoided topic? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, death is defined as: the permanent cessation of vital functions; the end of life. So perhaps we fear death and the dying process because the thought of life ending is unbearable or because we know little about the dying process and naturally, as humans, fear the unknown. All of this may be true, and in most cases it probably is. But if you took a look at death and the process and considered the true meaning of that very moment in your life, maybe we would see it differently and maybe, just maybe, we would see life itself in a whole new way?! Marie de Hennezel, in her book Intimate Death, defines death as. . . “the culmination of our life, it is the culminating moment and what gives it meaning and value” (xi). It sheds light on the positive side of death, the part that no one thinks about or recognizes. And it shows us that death can in fact make us see how wonderful life can be. In his book The Body Silent, Robert Murphy shares with us the changes in life and society's actions in the face of the death process. In our society we think of death… “as if it were shameful and dirty. We see only horror in it; senselessness, useless struggle and suffering, intolerable scandal” (xi). De Hennezel shows us how death should be seen as a passage to a better place, wherever that place is believed to be, and sees the movement towards death as an intimate moment, as the last moment of someone's life. To be able to share this moment with someone is a gift, because you are experiencing everything that that person has become, everything in their life has come to this culminating moment. Many... middle of the paper... not a sad or horrible story at all. He lived a long and fulfilling life and had an infinite amount of things to prove, there was nothing to be sad about. While reading De Hennezel this memory really struck me and made me see death as she saw it and as others should see it too. The process of dying is often seen as an exhausting process, full of pain and anguish. But De Hennezel shows us that, if supported and surrounded by love, it can be an extraordinary experience. The effect it can have on a person is amazing and can be quite invigorating. Some would say that the passion for life is not comparable to that of someone who is dying. Murphy shows us how, when faced with death, we can choose to continue living with passion as he did through his work. Their value of life as well as death is inconceivable and may teach those of us who are alive and well a thing or two about life.