From Gregory Stock’s The Book of Questions: Do you care much about having people mourn your death?

Honestly, when I’m gone I’m gone. Once I kick the bucket and head off to the great beyond, it’s not like I’ll be floating around as a ghost watching my own funeral (as cool as that would be). So whether people are crying their eyes out or throwing a party, it’s not really going to affect me.

I mean, sure, it’s nice to think my loved ones would miss me and be sad for a little while. But hopefully they’d move on with their lives soon enough. I’d hope I meant enough to them that they’d feel some sense of loss, but not so much that they’d be totally devastated forever. A few tears at the funeral, some emotional eulogies, and then everyone can eat, drink, and share their favorite memories of me. Once the grieving period passes, I want people to remember the good times.

Because when you get down to it, funerals and mourning are really for the living, not the dead. I won’t get anything out of people moping around in misery for ages. And frankly, that would kind of depress me (if I could still be depressed, you know, not being alive and all).

So mourn moderately, dear friends and family, but don’t let my passing ruin your lives. Honor my memory, but in happy, celebratory ways – not with excessive grief. Crack open a cold one and toast the good times we shared while I was around. And know that I’ll live on through your fond memories of me.

But hey, that’s just my take. What do you all think – if you died tomorrow, how much would you care about people mourning for you? Let’s get a discussion going in the comments!

Feature Photo by Pavel Danilyuk