Whether you believe in an afterlife or believe in an eternal nothing, death brings an end to your life on Earth. It means that you will never speak to another human being again, that you will never be able to help another again, that you are forever sleeping. Death is a hard thing to come to terms with, especially when you throw in how easily you can be forgotten.

A favorite English teacher of mine once spoke fondly of his grandmother, or great-grandmother — I cannot recall. He disclosed that although she had passed away, her memory lived on in a small number of people. He touched on how much she had meant to him and how greatly she affected those around her. To wrap up his story, he told us that once those few people pass on, her memory will be erased from this world.

That teacher’s story stuck a chord with me. It made me realize that even the greatest and most kindhearted of people can be forgotten. At the same time, the most evil can live on for centuries.

Life after death is a popularity contest with two ways to win: Become the most loved, or become the most hated.