MIND MAKEOVERS
What are we going to do with ourselves when we can no longer inhabit the earth? Or, more likely, what will those closest to us do with our physical remains? In what manner will the essence of our lives be recognized and commemorated? How can we be assured that the presence we embodied will live on in the minds of others?
What are we going to do with ourselves when we can no longer inhabit the earth? Or, more likely, what will those closest to us do with our physical remains? In what manner will the essence of our lives be recognized and commemorated? How can we be assured that the presence we embodied will live on in the minds of others?
These are
questions that only the most undaunted, well-organized and well-adjusted
members of our society have been inclined to ask themselves. What about
everyone else? The inevitable
reality of separation and loss… of life endings… of permanent departures… is
excruciatingly intimidating and emotionally draining for escapists who prefer
to “bury their heads in the sand.” Denial and dismissal of thoughts about that
last incomprehensible yet natural phase of life mask unrelenting truths, thereby
perpetuating a state of rampant lack of preparedness.
Our attitudes
toward death affect us throughout life.
Quality of existence can be heightened through an appreciation of life’s
limitation. We have choices. We can live in fear of mortality and
cowardly assume a posture of avoidance, or we can ease the potential for strain
on ourselves as well as our families by addressing measures of preparedness
now. We can either disavow the
certainty of death or embrace it as a natural consequence of living. We can
control certain elements of our endings. We can explore the possibilities. We
can dictate our preferences and initiate plans for closing scenarios. We can eliminate many of the
decision-making chores that would burden our distraught loved ones during their
time of sorrow. We have the power
to determine conduct and personalize details relative to the occasion of
terminal transition. We can reconcile ourselves to this irrefutable reality by
adopting an attitude of acceptance and even enjoyment of the planning
process.
With revitalized
perspectives we can find our way to a new comfort zone. We can travel along modern routes paved
by emerging trends and opportunities.
If we open our eyes to the possibilities, we can witness expanded
horizons and paint our own exquisite sunsets.
