The Concept of a Tidy Death

Early in childhood, in the same year, I lost two much-loved pets  -- a turtle and a cat.  It is quite unlikely that there was any connection between these deaths.

However, I was left with the impression of how tidy the process was.  Both opted to quietly disappear to a place of their choosing, a place they would associate with contentment while alive.  When found, they were neatly posed and peaceful.  Those deaths did not leave any real negatives, besides the fact that I could no longer interact with them.

Later in life, I lost several close friends and relatives.  Strangley, I judged their deaths by the same criteria as I judged my pets' deaths.  There was a real comfort in seeing them pass tidilly.  And this is exactly what I would want for myself, if I am able to have any say in the matter.  I have not the least desire to stay alive, just for the sake of it, after quality-of-life sinks below a certain threshhold.   Even more importantly -- I would not wish my loved-ones to witness an untidy passing.