Just yesterday I had a conversation with one of my friends about death and my simple, sarcastic, charismatic view on it. At least that was my opinion. We were texting, when suddenly she told me she couldn't wait until she was old and didn't have to do anything but get older and older. I answered with the simple phrase: “I don't plan to get old.”

Her first inclination was indicative of any loving, naive friend: “She is going to commit suicide!” However, her response was less direct, a simple, “What do you mean?”

“I haven't decided if I want to die young or not,” I responded flippantly. Apparently, this statement sent her into a slight shock. The thought that her best friend was contemplating such dark, twisted subjects was entirely depressing.

“Are you going to kill yourself?” she questioned.

Sarcastically I answered “Yes, Ash, that's exactly what I plan. It's my life-long goal to make it to exactly 33 years old.”

The poor girl still hadn’t caught on to my sarcasm, and cluelessly questioned why I would do such a thing. She was understandably uncomfortable and unhappy with my statement. Her reaction probably mirrored that of the rest of the population: horrified and unwilling to ponder the motives of the comment.

Originally, my comment to my friend was inspired by an episode of The Simpsons in which Lisa says: “I may or may not die young, I haven't decided." However, my sentence wasn't simply mockery. It was meant as a commentary on society’s general fear of the subject of death. Very few people talk about death. It is taboo, yet I think about it frequently. I understand that some people are made uncomfortable by the topic, which I understand and respect.

I wonder if the reason death is so taboo is because it is scary and unknowable. The human race is notorious for being terrified of things that are mysterious or not understandable. However, just because it is difficult to comprehend, doesn't necessarily make it a bad thing. Death is no longer a scary thing to me. The way I go makes me slightly nervous, but I would rather not know how I will die.

The sentence was meant as sarcasm. It was meant to show my love for life but also the self-governed way I live and the free standing way of thinking I have. Don't get me wrong, I take things such as death seriously, but in loving life there must be a certain freedom.

Today, I read an article on Lana Del Rey. She was quoted as quipping, “I wish I was dead
already." She also had said that her two idols were Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse, both of whom happened to die at the young age of 27. The article said she saw some degree of glamour on dying. It made me question whether I see any glamour in a young death? I cannot decide either way.

I don't see myself getting old. I just want to make my dreams come true: a career in writing. My preliminary conclusion is that I don't see glamour in dying young. It makes me feel happy to know that tomorrow brings something fresh and new. I love the potential and optimism the future holds. It has a certain openness to it, an inherent room for growth.

My comment was an indication of my sense of humor. Some people will find it amusing, others will not. But my goal was not to be funny, but rather to cause people to ask questions about their long held beliefs. Our world would not be where it is today if brave people were not willing to ask difficult, uncomfortable questions. Don’t be afraid to challenge your beliefs about glamour, and death, and youth. There is no better time to ponder these weighty topics than when we still have life.