I don't think it's so much that death isn't real but...death doesn't have to be permanent. The problem is, none of us have any way of predicting when a death may or may not last, here. That doesn't make it any less horrible.

[He sighs, thinking.]

After Sandalphon told us all that his ability was meant to be able to revive you from the dead...none of us could be sure what would happen the next day. And even knowing that I can write to him on the Other Side, and he can write back, I still miss him so much every day.