-death, n.
  act or fact of dying, the ending of life.

         death. what an interesting, controversial and altogether meaningful (albeit morbid) subject. on the subject of death there almost infinite number of forever-asked, never-(well, almost never)-answered questions.
         we will all experience it (it's just a matter of when, where, how, why, and who's involved), yet for all the time mankind has walked upon the earth all of us (scientists, philosophers, poets, even the common people (such as me), etc.) have debated every possible aspect of it.
         of all the different types, the common people have it the worst. they are confused, caught between those who deny death (by continuation of the soul or immortal life), those who try and define it (no such luck there, hmm?) and those who really don't care (sounds good to me!).
         philosophers, poets and religious people (with an emphasis on that last one) all believe in the opinion (fact, truth, or otherwise) that there is no true death, simply an ending of the physical body (and, possibly, the continuation of a new one). very few believe that death is the ending of the whole being (ouch!).
         scientists (at least most of them, hopefully) are of the opinion that death is the "absence of life". then come all the arguments, the useless debates (fun though, aren't they? and as such, they serve some purpose, so can't really be called useless, can they?) and such on. some say death is the lack of free will. other say it's when a person is brain dead. still others say "till all trace of life has passed!" and so it begins again.
         at this point, these (<- all the parenthesis ->) must begin to sound like so much babble. well? why not? i'm alive (by my definition, not necessarily others') and as such, i am entitled to any style of expression i wish (see former parenthesis).
         now. what does death mean to you? surely some (if not all) of you have spent some time (lying awake at night, perhaps? or while bored in class?) thinking of your "impending doom (as some would call it) or your everlasting-life-after-death (as others, like me, would call it). if you have never done this then may all the luck in the world bless you for that thought can be both deadly and beautiful. it has driven great men to their death, and created leaders to shake the world. it has created such wonders as the pyramids and the worst tyrants in all history.
         many treat death simply as the termination of physical being, and ignore it otherwise (god only knows why, i sure the hell don't. heh. try to figure that one out). they shouldn't though. there is a lesson in death, a hidden beauty. if you find it, you will have found a way to make your life and actions unique from all others. let this absence of life teach you how to live. how else could it be?