Do you remember your first experience with human death?

I remember being told that my great grandmother had died and knowing what that meant. I'm not sure how old I was but probably about 4. I have never been to a funeral or seen a dead human though. I'm not sure when I first understtod what human death was either, certainly before my great grandmother died.

Yes, when I was a little kid. It was one of my ancestors from Mom's side--I saw him laying in state.

I remember my first funeral, because it wasn't until I was in college. Before that, I remember my great-uncle dying. I think that was the first time someone somewhat close to me had died. I didn't go to the funeral, though.

I was 5 when my one remaining great grandparent (my dad's, dad's mother) died and I remember attending the funeral.

I have very little first-hand experience with death. No one that I know very well has ever died.

The first funeral I went to was that of my friend's gran. The second funeral was that of my own great grandmother.

I've never seen or touched a dead body. I have lost a loved one, though.

My grandfather died when I was 8 yrs old. First time I recall dealing with death, funeral, etc.

Yes, when my father died when I was 6.

Yes. I was about 6, and my mother took me to her great-aunts funeral.

My Dad's Dad - I was 13.

> I've never seen or touched a dead body. I have lost a loved one, though.

My cat died in my hands... That was bad enough!

Yeah, my great grandmother died. It was really sad.

My grandmother died in 1995 when I was visiting from California for Christmas. I saw her in the hospital. She was cold. Oddly, enough she was expected to pass away during that summer, and I had made my peace with that. Then the day after I saw her when I got back she passed. It was like she was waiting to see me one more time.

When I was little, there was an old man who lived down the street from my grandparents and they were quite friendly, so I knew him somewhat. He died. All the adults went to the funeral but we didn't. I remember wondering why we couldn't go. I was curious what it was all about.

I haven't had a significant one yet.

Yes.. it was my dad's mother.

I was about 7 or so and they did take us to the funeral.. I do remember saying something like "I bet daddy doesn't want to talk about it" to my mom and then my dad having a little talk with me later about how we could talk about it if I wanted to.

There is one other thing I remember about that. My dad's father died when my dad was 9 years old (by a drunk driver) and was buried in one of those very old ancient cemetaries you see... when my grandmother died, they just dug down to the coffin of my grandfather and set her ashes on top of it. Apparently the headstone was sliding away or sinking, so one day my dad and mom took my sister, brother and I to that cemetary and we played there while my dad did some work to correct the problem... I guess he dug the stone out and put something under it but I don't really remember.

Does it worry you to say something like that?

I'm a little bit too superstitious I guess.. but just talking to you about it makes me a little nervous.. like I'm tempting fate.

The first dead body I ever saw was my great grandmother (dad's side)... I was about 12 and didn't know her very well. After that, I didn't see another body until I was 23, and went with my SO to a teenage boy's funeral. I ended up standing very close to the casket in that instance, and it was quite weird. The third time, it was an uncle--my dad's half brother-- and I purposefully didn't go near him... he looked too much like my dad.

It worries me in that I have no idea how I'm going to handle it when it does happen.

I would think that people would want to get to know me, since knowing me means that you probably wont die.

The reason I ask is that I'm in the same position as you... never having lost anyone close to me (touch wood!!)... and it freaks me out to even think about.

Do you watch Six Feet Under (on HBO)? I remember thinking when it was on that maybe it will help me cope someday. I have dark thoughts in which I imagine someone close to me (or even a pet) dying and I think about how I would deal with it. The thoughts are very powerful, they tend to put me in a worry mode. I generally have to just turn them off after a while and force myself to think about something else.

Do I? I LOVE Six Feet Under.. can't wait for the final season.

I have been having thoughts like that since I was little. The worst death I have had to deal with in my life was that of a cat. She had been around since I was born and was in her 20's but healthy and I watched a family friend drive right over her. I'll never get that image out of my head.

The point is, I remember as a kid imagining losing her and just crying. Unfortunately, it didn't prepare me for it when it happened.

I have the feeling that when death does affect me, I'll need to do some serious blocking of emotions so that I don't completely lose it. Maybe my lifelong fascination with death stems from my not being touched by it much.

I wonder sometimes who in our circle of friends will be the first to go, and how we'll deal with it. Sometimes I think "it can't be long now" (sorry, that's probably not very helpful...). And as we get older, and more of our friends die...

I love Six Feet Under, too... I loved the first season... and then was disappointed by the second, hated the third and felt much better about the fourth.

Do you know when it will be back on for the final season?

Watching a your 20 year old cat get run over and killed by a family friend sounds like a very traumatic thing to have happen. I would think it unlikely that something as bad as that would happen to you again.

I think it might be better to completely lose it than to block your emotions. Though, I think it's OK to lose it in a private setting (alone, or with just one person you trust).

dealing with it means adding them to the motd, right?

I'm not sure when the final season starts. HBO does this rotating original show thing on Sunday nights... they're on Carnivale right now. Then maybe The Sopranos for however many weeks, then Six Feet Under? I'm not sure what their schedule is. They're running out of original series, though!

I guess that's a start.

I hope you're right.

I've never been very good at that.. I guess we'll see at some point.

I don't understand that either.. Did they quit making Curb Your Enthusiasm completely? I miss Larry!

I also really liked Bob and Margaret on Showtime and it seems to have stopped completely.

I wish they were better about communicating about what's going on. I guess I could see not wanting to make a big fuss about cancelling a show, but I think a little more communication (which would be so easy, given the Internet) would go a long way.

well, the other option is just to make sure you go first.

I agree!

Don't think it hasn't occured to me! I don't think my mom could handle that though. I put her through enough with last year's surgeries and things.

about 3 years ago, when my mother passed away