Draft script: From Psychology Today on 21 March 2018 comes an article titled I Just Learned that I have a Terminal Illness. Now What? The subhead: Seven questions to answer as you confront death and embrace life.Nature Bats Last Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Every one of us ponders our lives and inevitable deaths to some degree or other, if you believe in an invisible white man in the sky, whose mummy never got laid!! you are probably terrified of being made accountable for every breach of that white guy's rule book, one he never followed himself, the pathos is pitiful!
I've considered myself in 'Hospice' for well over the decade Guy and I have been friends and colleagues, I've had so many 'Brushes with Death' I can't count them all.
I've had some really beautiful experiences with 'Hospice' so I'm not afraid of death, I'm too busy living in the present to worry about an afterlife, which in itself sounds like an anthropogenic delusion.
Another gift Guy has given me.
One final point on suffering. My sister-in-Law died from Motor Neurone Disease, her last 20 minutes on earth was strangulation, her death this way, traumatised our entire family.
My darling Mum called a family meeting after and made everyone state publicly if they wanted intervention, if they were in a similar predicament. Many hands were hoisted, including mine.
I'll finish on a lighter note, a quote from Guy:" I have a long list of people I would like to see dead, my names not on the list", I quote Guy often on this.
Our collective position is, make the most of every peaceful moment we have, seize that moment, the human movie is drawing to a catastrophic conclusion, sooner than previously thought.
Added below, for obvious reasons.
Have a great birthday on Feb' 29 dude, I don't fancy your chances of having another one :)
Thank you for your informed—as always—and informative comment. You were fortunate to have your “darling Mum” call a family meeting.
Thanks, too, for your light-hearted sharing of my long-time message. I appreciate your mention of my sixteenth birthday. Wishing you were in the vicinity to share a few more moments.
Finally, thank you for restacking my post, as always.
Those last few lines say so much. I am particularly drawn to this: "...I have let go of the past and the past has let go of me. " I find that so important, just letting go of the past - but I'd not really thought of the past letting go of me. That's a refreshing and hopeful take on things. Thanks so much for this post, there is much to mull over.
Very good advise. So many can not accept the reality of death based on an irrational fear of nonexistance. This makes them targets to be exploited by those that would tell them they are gods favorite creation so you will never die. You might be tormented for all eternity but death is certainly not an option.
Deb Rodney, a member of our community, wrote this poem about navigating these times.
Guy is respectfully mentioned in the stanza.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KOzOr8FHlo
Every one of us ponders our lives and inevitable deaths to some degree or other, if you believe in an invisible white man in the sky, whose mummy never got laid!! you are probably terrified of being made accountable for every breach of that white guy's rule book, one he never followed himself, the pathos is pitiful!
I've considered myself in 'Hospice' for well over the decade Guy and I have been friends and colleagues, I've had so many 'Brushes with Death' I can't count them all.
I've had some really beautiful experiences with 'Hospice' so I'm not afraid of death, I'm too busy living in the present to worry about an afterlife, which in itself sounds like an anthropogenic delusion.
Another gift Guy has given me.
One final point on suffering. My sister-in-Law died from Motor Neurone Disease, her last 20 minutes on earth was strangulation, her death this way, traumatised our entire family.
My darling Mum called a family meeting after and made everyone state publicly if they wanted intervention, if they were in a similar predicament. Many hands were hoisted, including mine.
I'll finish on a lighter note, a quote from Guy:" I have a long list of people I would like to see dead, my names not on the list", I quote Guy often on this.
Our collective position is, make the most of every peaceful moment we have, seize that moment, the human movie is drawing to a catastrophic conclusion, sooner than previously thought.
Added below, for obvious reasons.
Have a great birthday on Feb' 29 dude, I don't fancy your chances of having another one :)
https://kevinhester.live/2019/06/24/navigating-hospice-at-the-edge-of-extinction/
Thank you for your informed—as always—and informative comment. You were fortunate to have your “darling Mum” call a family meeting.
Thanks, too, for your light-hearted sharing of my long-time message. I appreciate your mention of my sixteenth birthday. Wishing you were in the vicinity to share a few more moments.
Finally, thank you for restacking my post, as always.
Those last few lines say so much. I am particularly drawn to this: "...I have let go of the past and the past has let go of me. " I find that so important, just letting go of the past - but I'd not really thought of the past letting go of me. That's a refreshing and hopeful take on things. Thanks so much for this post, there is much to mull over.
Thank YOU, Mez, for your positive comment. When it comes to living fully, with intention, there are few thoughts like death to guide us.
She's living in the tradition of Engaged Buddhism.
Exactly, Nancy, with thanks for your comment
Very good advise. So many can not accept the reality of death based on an irrational fear of nonexistance. This makes them targets to be exploited by those that would tell them they are gods favorite creation so you will never die. You might be tormented for all eternity but death is certainly not an option.
Thank you for your informed comment, Craig. I couldn’t agree more, obviously.