N385 - Fear Presentations (Part 2)

I was unable to attend class last Monday due to some family medical problems that I had to attend to, so this post will not actually be about the second round of fear presentations. Instead, I'd like to talk about something that Beth brought up in class last week that we have in common.

A fear of the eternal.

I'm not even sure I can call this a fear, but I don't really know what else to call it. I think the fear comes from not being able to wrap my head around the idea of forever. Just thinking about what happens to people after they die inevitably leads to two very terrifying thoughts: At some point in time we cease to exist OR we continue on indefinitely.

I think most people can understand the fear that is attached to the first of those two thoughts, and honestly, I think that is why so many people cling to religion (especially in their later years). I mean, no one wants to believe that when they die, that's it! No more. No afterlife, no reincarnation, no nothing. That idea is hard enough to wrap your head around. It is impossible to imagine not existing at all! But as much as that scares me, existing forever is equally terrifying.

I think this stems from the fact that we are programmed in life to think that everything comes to end in due time, and for that to not be the case after death is almost uncomprehendable. Even if I imagine the afterlife as a huge party with all my friends and family around me and we can do anything our hearts desire, I still get nervous knowing that it would never end.

I would say that this is the closest thing to a true fear I have. I hate spiders. Hate them. But if I think about a spider I don't feel fear start to well up in my chest. However, every time I think of eternity, I do! It's strange, and I wonder where the fear stems from. I spend a lot of time thinking about this, and the fact that Beth mentioned it last class made me realize that I am not the only person who thinks like this, and knowing that is good enough for me right now.