Beyond the end -- Some thoughts

Note: I am in good health and in no more danger of dying right now as other people in good health.

 I'm fifty-seven years old. I think of dying.

I'm not morbid; I don't think of dying all the time, and I am not possessed by those thoughts. But between the other thoughts, it does occur to me, especially in the time of COVID.

I think about the process of dying. I don't like the thought of being in pain, and many of the ways to die are painful. I'm one of those people who would like to die in old age in my sleep, but that may not be possible. I know that if there's any chance of being savable, I will be kept alive and in pain. I don't know what I think of that, but I have a DNR (do not resuscitate) order in my things that needs to go into a safety deposit box.

I think about the afterlife. I've written about that before. I don't know what I believe, but I don't believe that we'll be sitting around singing about the heavenly host non-stop. That heaven is supposed to be the reward for good behavior (although I don't believe this) and we're singing to The Man? (Again, I don't believe God was born male). I hope I have some consciousness after death because I damn well am not ready to let go yet. 

I'm afraid and growing more certain that I might experience a glimpse of heaven before I die, but will fade to black. And then nothing. 

How can anyone be ready to die without an afterlife? That's what I'm trying to find out. The only solution I can come up with is to live as well as I can now.