IRIS APFEL
Some people look forward to death, and going to
heaven and all of that. I don't think it's pleasant at
all. I'm probably a bad subject for your magazine. You're asking me questions about things I don’t
like to think about. I don't see any point. Maybe it’s
important for other people.
I don't like to think about death. It's spooky. Every
once in a while, I think that I should, and I get very
upset, so I don’t. I know I have to go, but I don't want
to think about it. I’m not denigrating it. For me, it’s only confusing.
When I have to face it, I will.
What's fascinating about going to pieces or going
to hell?
I don't think about those things. That's one of
the reasons I'm happy. I don't think about the
past. "I get these questions, If you could do this
again," or "If you could stay in a certain period of
time." I don't think about that. That's finished. I
don't try to conjure up the future. That's coming.
I don't know what's going to happen. When it
comes, I'll attend to it.
I'm very much a person who lives in the now, and
that's what I concentrate on. Now. I don't even like
to concentrate on two weeks from now.
Enough unpleasant things happen that I'm obliged
to think about, so why should I conjure more up? I'm
so busy, I don't have time to think about anything
outside of what I'm doing. I really don't.
I love life and I want to be around.
Maybe there are people who dwell on death and
have a plan. Maybe that's good. Maybe I should
have one, but I don’t.
I'm very much a person
who lives in the now, and
that's what I concentrate
on. Now. I don't even like
to concentrate on two
weeks from now.
8 | ART OF DYING