The religious upbringing I was exposed to, Catholicism, instilled in me the belief that life is eternal, that heaven and hell exist, and that God would ultimately pass judgment at the end of one's life. However, the details were often left unspoken, leaving me with a sense of discomfort and fear regarding the concept of death. Accepting the notion of a heaven, hell, judgement and everlasting peace just didn’t make sense.

But what lies at the heart of believing in an afterlife and the eternity of our existence? Is it not to seek solace in the face of our mortality and the loss of loved ones? It's a curious paradox that we bid people to "rest in peace" while ourselves fearing death and mourning those we've lost.