Let's talk about death

Having recently passed fifty, I have come to a stunning realisation: death - in the sense of passing out of this world - is coming, and is merely a matter of time. The personality known as Nigel Linacre won't last forever, no!
Well, that may seem obvious. But it turns out that the fear around death comes from resisting it, even being in denial about it: "It won't happen to me!" Denial causes great discomfort, release comes in acceptance.
In our youth death is easily and perhaps happily overlooked. but we are expected to be sad about death. But maybe that is just a learned response. True we could be sad about our loss. On the other hand, if we take the view that they have gone to a better place, we could be delighted for their gain: free at last! My own experience has been that I have become even closer to friends and family after they have gone. They have felt as close as my shoulder, so no sense of loss there.
There is something quite magical here: once you get that it is coming, it can become something of an adventure in prospect. And it sure as hell - sorry - sharpens your sense of being in this world: so much to do, so little time; this time around anyway, or maybe there isn't so much to do, maybe it was only ever a matter of being.
If you have only this one life - and as the personality you currently inhabit, it rather looks that way - what will you be while you are here? How gloriously will you manifest?
Death is hardwired into life and vice versa, and all change is both, and life is change and death is change. Your cells are constantly being born and dying, your thoughts are always being born and dying, and so you trudge.
And if this life is the great adventure, a greater adventure awaits.