Do you fear death? Personally, I don't fear it at all. But I do, however, fear the way I'll go out. Burning alive or dying of a disease doesn't sound good.
Dying, in some cases, is peaceful. When my great aunt passed away this year, she was happy and grateful. Then she went to sleep and just slipped away, I guess. That's how I would like to go out.
EDIT: I can offer you salvation. 100 years of service before the mast...
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There's a quote, I don't remember who it's by but it goes something like your grave stone will have the date you were born and the date you died separated by a dash, live for the dash.