100 Reasons To Not Kill Yourself: #21.

Death is not to be feared.

Sure, dying can be quite painful if you don’t experience it while in a coma or within seconds, like if you’re slowly crushed under an overturned oxcart or some other equally slow, painful fate.

(Sorry, I just finished the first season of The Witcher on Netflix. It’s far from perfect and it’s no Game of Thrones, but it’s a ridiculously-guilty pleasure.)

But death itself is nothing to be afraid of.

It sucks for those you leave behind, unless they gain some perspective on the whole situation, that is. I would’ve fallen into a seemingly-endless pit of despair if my family and all of you weren’t here to keep me grounded

Personally, I believe death is merely a doorway to the next level. If the Fates are kind we’ll take our last breaths on this plane and find ourselves in a lush field of green beside a riverbank, the warm sun shining on our faces. It won’t be so sunny that you need sunglasses, but enough that it’s not overcast. And it won’t be humid or sweltering (no one should have to go through eternity with swamp ass) but rather just warm enough that you won’t need a sweater or a light jacket.

You’ll walk to a dock that’s been properly treated so the wood doesn’t crack or split where a boat with plenty of room to walk around and stretch your legs on is waiting. I have no idea how long the journey will take but maybe they’ll be a nice buffet laid out. But eventually you’ll see it: The most breathtaking forest ever conceived where everyone you’ve ever loved will be waiting.

Of course, if you divorced several times or had multiple partners things may get messy… But let’s hope not. And I’m not certain if you’ll see everyone you ever loved, like that puppy you dogsat for two weeks when you were ten, or that uncle your mom kept away from you as much as possible (he gave you sips of his beer and let you look at his Playboy collection so you loved the guy, naturally) but the people at the top of your list will definitely be there.

How do I know any of this, you ask?

#21: Faith.

To be clear: I’m not talking about religion, especially the organized type. I’d rather experience Chinese water torture while Mariah Carey Christmas songs blare in the background than spend a nanosecond at a church service. Religion has toppled nations and led to more human suffering than the Trump presidency.

But faith is where it’s at. Faith will keep you going when the walls close in and you doubt you’ll make it through the night. God. Buddha. The Kardashians. Family. It doesn’t matter where your faith comes from as long as it comes from somewhere.

Faith isn’t simply a person or a place; it’s a feeling, one that reminds us that our lives have value and they’re worth fighting for. Always.

See you in the lobby, kids…

You can trust her.  She’s a Doctor.