Kahlil Gibran said “For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one”.
Victorias assisted dying laws have just come into effect.
How does it make you feel, knowing you have control, if you wish, to choose when you die, should you be terminally ill?
For most people, contemplating death under any circumstances is extremely challenging.
As a Funeral Celebrant I’ve noticed that at funerals people refrain from taking the seats close to the coffin. I often think to myself “you know, death isn’t catchy!”
It’s almost as if being around death, or perhaps just talking about it, will bring it upon us.
These ideas often stem from entrenched beliefs and superstitions which are really very powerful. How often have you felt fearful when exploring the topic of death?
In my work as an End of Life Facilitator and Funeral Celebrant I have come to ask myself why it is that we so passionately separate living from the inevitable – dying?
Morrie Schwartz, the subject of Mitch Albom’s memoir, “Tuesdays with Morrie” put it perfectly when he said “Mortality can teach us much about life – if we let it!”.
For many, the new laws, by their very nature, will not only raise the issue of how we wish to die and when/under what circumstances, but how we wish to live.
Perhaps this is what makes contemplating these new laws so confronting?
If we were to learn how to broach the subject of death and dying, we might just relieve ourselves of some of the fear that makes us so uncomfortable. If we discover the many ways of approaching end of life and celebrating that life, we may find that love, tenderness and compassion alleviates our fear and opens our hearts.
If you or someone you care about is nearing the end of life, you may find that discussing an advanced care plan and even funeral details helps to lift the veil on some of the mystery that surrounds the end of life.
It would be my privilege to hold your hand with humility and kindness.
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