Should you really fear death?

Recently for my psychology class, my professor has given an incredibly interesting story to read. It is a fictional story about death, by Tolstoy.

The story of The Death of Ivan Ilych is an eye-opening story that has made me more appreciative and more of the life I am living and should be living. I have learned that all the bad things that go on in one’s life could possibly be unforgettable and overcome the few good memories that may occur. Life is pretty much death. Whatever it is that you want to achieve or whatever you want that makes you happy is something that is important when you’re time comes. I have developed this belief that if you do what you want to do and create a life of full happiness, death can possibly become and easier aspect of you’re life when the time comes. Instead of fighting everything off and realizing all the wrong, living a happy life could help you realize right away that you achieved a well life that you will never forget. Though death will most definitely be something not easy to cope with the period of time where final acceptance is needed will be an easier time.

Living a life of unhappiness and of regret is something that I don’t want to die with. I don’t want to live blindly thinking I am happy when I am not. I will try to live life to the greatest extent and complete it, as I want to. I will not let others conquer my beliefs or lead me to believe in something other than my happiness and my families’ happiness. Tolstoy’s story seems to be a realistic story that seems to be almost correct. Though it is just a story, it is a story that gives off a tremendous impact on the reader because it is a story that in some ways makes complete sense. Everything that has happened previously in your life seems like it will eventually affect you in the end mentally. I can see possibly looking back on my life and wondering what I have accomplished and if I was happy and if my family was happy. If these aspects result negatively I’m sure I will feel pain and agony and wish I could live again, if only to correct some mistakes that have occurred, or to just fulfill some sort of endless happiness.

From Tolstoy’s story I have also discovered that my fright of dying has increased a great amount, but there is also a settling aspect in the story that makes me feel somewhat more settling than before.