Words and phrases are powerful. They can describe an event with great detail. They can illustrate specific emotions so others can be aware of feelings and events.
If we believe that words are powerful, do the euphemisms we use regarding "end-of-life" distance us from true emotions? Do these phrases release us from thinking about our own mortality, or of the mortality of those we love? Since death is the natural part of everyones life cycle, should it be referred to in vague language? If death is a normal occurrence, should it be seen as the enemy, one in which we do not discuss with direct language? Death can feel unpleasant and uncomfortable, but what if we began to explore our relationships with death, dying and grief? Would we begin to develop a healthier response to these natural events? According to the article of Funeral Basics, here are some of the frequently used euphemisms for death ~
By using words like “dead,” “died,” and “dying,” we work toward acknowledging the reality of the death. You may not want to use these words while your emotions are still in turmoil and your mind rebelling against reality, but in order to move forward, you get to one day acknowledge that “dead” and “died” are the reality and you are ready to face it. "In general, we use euphemisms about death to distance ourselves from the reality of death. While this habit might help us in the moment, it doesn’t address the underlying issue: most of us are afraid of death and don’t know how to grieve. While carefully considering when to use euphemisms is just one small step toward accepting the reality of death and our own mortality, it’s no small thing. After all, you take every journey just one step at a time". What if, together, we begin to ease into using descriptive language so that you might have the possibility of developing a more honest and open way to respond to end-of-life matters?
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