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Who’s afraid of the big 1-8? - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

VANCOUVER -- My colleague Babak Khorram did a week ago and Maneesh Puri, (the self-anointed star of Tupper’s team coverage at the NDP Convention,) will do it a day before me. Some of you, readers, have and some of you will. That is turn 18.

18 seems to be a milestone. I guess we all think we can do stuff we could never do before. I checked it out recently: I can’t buy booze, lottery tickets or a gun, yet.

The biggest thing about turning 18, for me and everyone else is that we’ll graduate from high school, in and around this birthday year. 12 years of school is over and onwards to something bigger. Personally, I don’t know what that is yet. I seem to be hesitant.

I never like looking back. I’m a little tired of looking back, because we seem to do that consciously or unconsciously all the time. Whether you’re sitting on the sofa or in a life-threatening situation, your life (or parts of it) flashes in front of your eyes. I guess, the older you get you become more and more aware of your mortality.

Sure, it may sound macabre or silly, but that’s the truth. The day you’re born, and everyday thereafter is one less until the end. What’s the end? Well, if you’re Catholic like me, heaven, only if you’re good though. I may be Catholic, but I don’t really believe that. I don’t know if there is life after this life, but it’s always something to wonder about. (I guess I’m gunning for proof, damn me.)

Death and dying has always puzzled me. Some people refuse to talk about it and refuse to recognise its existence. I guess in my reckless way, whenever I feel tension, I don’t hide from it, I just shatter the damned thing. Death and dying shouldn’t be snuffed off, it should be discussed openly. (Hell, we’re doing that with less important issues, why not the most natural of them all?) If my Catholic upbringing is a smidget true, then death should be the best thing to happen. I mean, won’t you land in heaven for all of eternity? I guess what we’re afraid of is pain. Painful death is what I fear, I mean I’d like to slip away sleeping, not having my toes ripped off by something from the movie Jurassic Park.

Some will have read the preceding saying I shouldn’t be concerned with such issues. Maybe I shouldn’t, but finding out you’re a year older, you tend to think about stuff like that. I have great hope for myself and for society in general. I know that I can’t predict what’ll happen to me or those around me, all we can do is hope. Some have dubbed me a cynic or an edgy person, so that preceding line or two is rather surprising. Life gets better I’m sure and my life so far hasn’t been too bad. I’ve had ups and downs, laughter and tears, like most I’m sure.

I’ve been very anxious of turning 18, don’t ask me why. But, I think it’ll be just another day. A credit to my calmness, I’ll have a pleasant day and move on.

As my curmudgeon, Peter Warren would say, “Get on with it.”

I will.


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