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What Really Matters Changing Priorities near End of Life
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Live life so completely that when death comes to you like a thief in the night, there will be nothing left for him to steal. -- Unknown
You can't go back and change the beginning. But you can start where you are and change the ending. – C.S. Lewis
I wanted a perfect ending.
Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. - Gilda Radner (died of ovarian cancer)
Years ago I came very close to dying. Strangely, when I woke up, my 1st thought was this: That I no longer had to feel bad about myself and my failures in life. Those failures didn’t matter. I had not hurt others. I had mostly tried to do right. Suddenly, that was enough. That was what mattered.
When I was 17, I wrote a poem for my grandfather as he was dying of cancer. I felt shy about giving it to him, but I’m glad I did. For the rest of his life, my grandfather showed my poem to every person who came to visit. And he said, “I don’t care what hymns or scriptures you read at my funeral service. I only care about two things: I want the American flag over my coffin and I want someone to read that poem Caroline wrote. ” - Caroline Carrison HPCG Counseling Intern
“My grandmother suffered from dementia.”
“What really mattered to me was our ability to give
her the best possible care and attention; and for her remaining months to be as comfortable as possible.“ - Kabirah A. McGregor, Kids Path Admin Assistant
If I could get another chance another walk another dance with him I'd play a song that would never end How I'd love love love To dance with my father again
The support of family, friends, co-workers, neighbors-anyone close to you that can make you feel as human as possible…from the beginning, through the middle, to the end. Always giving you comfort, love, understanding, respect, dignity… This is what really matters at end of life.
–Marichia Perkins, HPCG Aide
What really matters…
Spiritually
Nobody on their deathbed ever said that they wished they had spent more time at work.
