Should we worry about death?

This is going to be short, though it really is a pretty deep topic...death.  At present, I am in the midst of a family time of pre-mourning.  We have a member who is in her last days of life after a long, love filled time on Earth.  This of course gets me thinking about the emotions surrounding death, with which I seem to have a bit too much experience.

So, how should we feel around death?  I feel sorrow, empathy, and fear of abandonment like any normal person, but I wonder if there is something I am missing.  I should feel a sense of relief and joy that the person who is dying is close to an end of pain and suffering, but then I get to the “what’s next?” question.  Is there something waiting for them after the last breath (which is never calm and easy in my experience) or is it a void of nothingness like Steven Hawkings suggests?  

I wonder if I should worry about damnation or nothingness?  What is more positive, the end of pain or the potential for eternal life?  Why is death the most emotionally quizzical time in anyone’s life?

As with my experiences and my current emotions, I have far more questions for you than answers...hopefully this abbreviated post helps explore these emotions outside of the end-of-life turmoil.  Best of luck to us all...