I have been a pallbearer five times in my thirty-four years, and each time
it was very difficult because of my utter acceptance of the utter finality
of the loss. Virus cannot provide whatever comfort is to be derived from a
promise of everlasting life for the deceased (unless they have been
cryogenically frozen...). It is a price we choose to pay: many times I
have heard people say that they wished they had faith to give them comfort
-- a lobotomy would take away one's worries too though.
(On a more positive note) by promoting rational thought, and presumably
technological development, we may achieve everlasting life the way Woody
Allen intended -- through not dying. We have discussed this before as the
bait, "Join us or die!" (though that sounds a wee bit like a threat).
Sean Morgan