Whenever I pick up a new book, I automatically think, "Who is going to die so I won't grow attached to them?" It's horrible, but completely true. Someone almost always has to die, or else the book won't connect with people. Think about it: we are all so incredibly different, with different talents and interests and relationship. The one thing that binds us all together is death.

But, seriously! Death is the one constant we all know. We all know someone who has died, if not personally, then through the news. We are constantly surrounded by horrifying experiences through the media--happy stories only last for a short while and bring in little to no profit. When someone famous passes away, hundreds of stories are covered on their life and death. But when it comes to someone we are especially close with, such as a family member or good friend, we shy away from the attention that death brings. We refuse to discuss it, shifting onto a new topic and averting the attention for as long as possible.

The brave people are the ones who can talk about without fear.

Many great people have died--Mother Teresa, Morrie Schwartz, Albus Dumbledore, Ghandi. What do they all have in common? They all refused to let death stand in their way.

Each one of these people, whether fictional or not, approached their death with an ease. Death was not an end, but a gateway to the next great adventure. Their whole lives they worked for peace, striving to make the world a better place, even if it was just in their backyard. They effected countless people through their words and actions. They talked about their death like it was just a normal part of life (which it is) and were unfazed by its coming. That amazes me, how they can just speak of something so taboo nowadays like they're taking out the trash. But people know them for that.

Isn't that what we all want? To be remembered after we are gone?