It bothers me when I see or hear an atheist or agnostic using the cliché "passed away." We all know that the term came from religion, supposedly describing passing from moral life to eternal life in heaven or the alternative. We all know that heaven and hell do not exist and that eternal life in a religious sense is a false myth. Om a physical on if gone and will never exist again. We need to rid ourselves of these religious hang-ups.

We do grieve the loss of the physical presence of a loved one. But our memories of the person will be with us as long as we live. And, while we live, our thoughts, actions, and words influence others. In turn, many of them will pass on some of those influences to others. It may be generations before our influences cease to exist.