http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/10/opinion/afraid-of-dying-alone.html?_r=1
I really enjoyed this article when it was published several months ago.
It was nice to see that someone else thinks about death and that I am not alone. Granted this writer is about a decade older than me.
But look at the assumption that I just made.
Only older people think about dying.
It’s not right for someone “as young as I am” to think about dead. . . it’s abnormal.
Interesting thinking from a person who dearly believes that our greatest deed in life is to live our lives with the awareness of death always close.
And I totally respect what Kumiko is already thinking.
When you live alone, you wonder what if I were to die. Who would know?
If you don’t have a spouse anymore or don’t have kids, you think, wow, someone will bathe me and possibly feed me some day. What’s that going to be like.
I think about my grandmother who has dementia and the fights with her daughter, the confused calls to my mom, and the reality in which grandma lives in. And I wonder, will that be my mom? Will it be me?
And I think about others things as well. I’ve worked at hospice and seen loving strangers take gentle care of patients and that gives me hope. Who knows if I will leave this world in a way that I will be able to use hospice, but I am comforted in knowing that it could be an option.
It’s not about worrying and fretting. It’s thoughtful thinking about the future and letting it inform who you are today.
I really enjoyed this post so much that I subscribed to your blog.
Like you, I have always thought about death.
Does that make us morbid or weird?
I don’t think so but many do- who cares.
{They are probably not like-minded individuals anyways}.
How can one think of life without thinking of death?
Death and life are like ying and yang- they cannot be divorced from each other.
Thoughts about death can guide us about how to live.
Memento Mori, Buddhism and other spiritual paths teach this as well.
When I read what you wrote about how uncertain the future is for all of us,
I can only think of compassion and humility.
We are all in the same situation.
This humbles me greatly and instills a powerful sense of compassion.
I always think that we are always at the mercy of someone’s compassion.
It is amazing that you worked at a hospice.
My guess is that is takes a strong yet gentle spirit to do that kind of essential work.
This life and work experience must have changed you into an even more compassionate person.
On another note…
Have you watched the HBO t.v. show Six Feet Under?
It is such an excellent, brilliant and soulful experience.
If you haven’t seen it, I would love to hear your thoughts about it.
{I may do some blog posts about it in the future. I’m not sure yet}.
One last question…
Have you read The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche ?
I tried to read it many years ago but ended up pausing because it was so heavy.
I will have to continue to read it and the article you linked
Peace & Namaste…
Thanks so much for your post. I have had to be away from the blog for a bit but I will catch up with correspondence as soon as I can.
Best wishes,
Jen