Survivorship brings with it an acute sense of our own mortality. Our culture in particular does little to prepare us for death, even though it is the true nature of our existence, that it is finite and short. An average lifespan is about 30,000 days, of which we sleep about a third of. We may try, but it is impossible to deny our mortality. Though there is wisdom in numbering our days (a common recommendation from palmists to the Bible) so to better use them in endeavors of meaning, that requires an acceptance of the ultimate destination we all head towards. This in itself requires the development of an awareness and acceptance of death. For most, including myself, this is a painful and long process to come to terms with. While there are many good books about this issue, and no philosophy can exist without coming to terms with this basic principle, I suggest that when ready to grasp and come to terms with it in a healthy manner that you read most anything by C. S. Lewis. He was a complete and committed atheist in his youth and a convert to religion as he aged. His writing from both periods explores death from both perspectives and I find this extremely useful.

One of his most interesting comments related to the emotionally painful acceptance that our time is not permanent reflects on the differences was this; The materialist's view of the universe has the attraction that when things get so bad that they become unbearable, there is always the option of suicide, and an escape from it all. In his early years before his conversion, he found the Christian universe horrific in that there was no door marked exit