Today, I held the hand of a woman who is actively and courageously dying.
She is younger than me, with 4 children, a loving spouse and a loyal puppy who follows her around the house all day.
A future stolen and a past to reconcile before she goes.
I work with families who are facing death and yet every single time I hold a dying hand, I am humbled by the sheer strength they represent. The strength to keep fighting when a deadline is imposed. The strength to leave a lasting legacy. The strength to make sure all those left are cushioned in their grief. The strength to say goodbye, with dignity, integrity and love.
It's a privilege to be invited into these very intimate and heart wrenching journeys, as hard as it is to be there.
Do you ever think about what it would be like to know the end of your life is near? Do you have plans for a gentle ending? Or a list of amends to make? Task to complete? Dream to live out? Changes to implement?Debts to pay?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
4 comments:
Deep questions. As I get older I know the kind of legacy I want to leave behind. I try to live that each day.
I'm working on stitching up my fabric stash so that my children don't have all that to deal with, too!
Very deep questions. I pray for a quiet passing, at home, with loved ones.
I love that you are living your legacy each day Lorrie. Something a lot of us who work in the field are aware of as well and we tend to live with intention as well.
Great job working on stitching up your fabric stash! I'm working slowly but surely on my scrapbooking not just so my kids have all their books done but so they don't have to deal with the "stuff" that I have accumulated in my art studio to do their books!
Thank you Elizabeth. They are deep questions, ones we often don't think about as we move thru our days. I think she will be well loved and cared for on her final day, as her family supports her now to that day. Beautiful family. So unfair.
On a side note, my package to you came back the other day. I took it to the post office and they did not calculate the correct postage. I will repost this weekend for you. I'm sorry for such a delay. Soon it will be at your door. I won't leave the post office this time until I know the postage is the right amount.
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