That good night: gift or punishment?

[alatar]

Originally Posted by The 1,000 Reader

I just can't see death as a gift. Sorry.

I understand what you are saying, but see it in this context: Assume that the Middle Earth world as created by Eru exists. In this world Death is given as a gift to man by God as a release from the confines of the world, and somewhere it is stated that even the Powers will envy this freedom. Aragorn, in this world, lived his entire life by the dictates of Eru, unlike many of his Númenóreans ancestors. And at the end of his road he had the choice to continue the path that so long ago he had chosen, or to fall aside like Isildur and Ar-Pharazôn. Aragorn faced many trials, and this one was the the biggest and the last. By his decision to lay down his life, even though he was giving up some days, weeks, years, he validated his life and hopefully that of his offspring. Aragorn set an example as king, that even though he had everything to lose and nothing to gain, that in faith he would do the right thing. If he were truly going on to something better, why not 'sacrifice' the material for the spiritual (or whatever Eru had waiting)? Eru didn't make man to stay; we are to travel on. Aragorn took that last trip freely.

Somewhere in all of that I see Aragorn yet again denying the Ring - control, dominion and possession of people and things - for true freedom.

In the case of my father, each day was worse than the day before. It was a death by slices. Even the smallest sip from a cup of coffee, something that he probably drank for 60+ years, caused pain. Now, I'm not exactly sure as to his beliefs, but to him death was a release from all of the suffering, so in that context too it was a gift. And like Aragorn, he actively chose to lie down and let go.