Is the topic of death and how it matures and improves you a cliche topic?

I was told in an essay writing workshop that it is only cliche if the so what (meaning what you learned/ took away) is a cliche. If you theme/ takeaway of the essay is to value your loved ones while you can because time is limited that would be cliche. Almost anyone who has lost a loved one could tell you that.

However, there are few exceptions to writing about a cliche.

One is if you feel strongly about it, there is probably a deeper reason for it that would push it farther than just being a cliche. Until you write it only you know just how much something impacted you. I was told to draft two essays. If I were you I would write one about death and the other on something else. If afterwards you still feel like the one about a "cliche" would tell them more about you than the other one I would go for it. An essay rarely has the weight to break an app unless it is genuinely terrible with no grammar and no effort put into it that it's obvious you didn't try.