vmb

Soon We’ll Be Dead: LM

Welcome back to another issue of Soon We'll Be Dead. Thank you so much for being here and sharing your thoughts on such an uncomfortable subject.

Reading all of your answers has been a real comfort for me lately. Not only is it making me feel less alone in my fear of death, but it has bolstered me in a soft net of community.

It's a project that means a lot to me, and I'm so grateful to all of you who have contributed and to everyone who has been reading along. It truly means the world to me.

I spent the morning scribbling in my sketchbook and reading Julia Cameron's The Artist Way. Have you read it? I've been thinking of going through her book and devoting a week to each chapter. Who knows what it might unearth.

I found this snippet of an interview with Harry Dean Stanton. He's not of my time, but when I read it, it made me smile, and I thought I'd share it with you.

Veronique


Name

LM

Do you have a website, blog, or socials?

Light Above the Door

Are you scared of death?

Yep! It's not a constant fear, but if I think about it too long, yep.

What do you think happens to us when we die? Where do we go?

I think the lights just go out. No more thoughts, feelings, etc. At the same time, I've often imagined my dead relatives watching over me, so some part of me wants to believe that they still exist somewhere. I think life is much more precious if it's finite, though.

Do you have a sense of purpose in life? What were you put on this Earth to do?

I'm not sure any of us are here for a "reason" that's external to ourselves. We all make our own meaning. Mine is to pay attention to the world and maybe write about it.

What makes a meaningful life?

So many things. There are many ways to live a meaningful life, which are different for everyone. For me, a meaningful life means looking for beauty. It means noticing everything and trying not to take any second we're given on this beautiful, insane planet for granted. I think enthusiasm and curiosity are two of the most powerful ways of living a meaningful life.

What would you regret the most if you were to die today?

I thought I would say not finishing my novel. But I think the real answer is all the times I held back saying what I felt because I was afraid of judgment or conflict.

How do you want to be remembered?

Kind. As a good friend. As someone fun/interesting to talk to. As someone who did her best.

Is it important to you to leave a legacy behind?

I'd like to leave notebooks, journals, and letters that my future grandkids could read (I'll be dead, so I can't be embarrassed). Hopefully, a published novel is on someone's bookshelves.

What are you most proud of in your life?

My resilience. My ability to see the world for its possibility even when things are terrible.

Would you rather be cremated or buried? Why?

Most non-religious people would say cremated, but honestly, that freaks me out. I like the idea of my ashes being spread in my favorite places, though. I just don't like thinking about what comes before the ashes. (I know I won't be able to feel it. But still.)

What do you want your epitaph to say?

The world offered itself to her imagination, and she took it.

What would be the worst/best way to die for you?

Best: in my sleep. Worst: car crash or possibly something stupid and avoidable

What are your five "Bucket List" (for lack of a better term) things you want to do before you die? What things are important to you that you want to experience, learn, or do?

Finish + fully edit at least one novel, live somewhere with mountains, go to London and see my favorite painting (A Bar at the Folies Bergere), visit Karen Blixen's house in Kenya, and read all the books that I own.

#soon we’ll be dead