Transformation in Twilight

For many of us in our twilight years, suffering becomes an unwanted companion. Declining health, illness, loss, loneliness, or regret, cause us pain and evoke suffering. Photo by Issy Bailey on Unsplash Philosopher and poet, John O’Donohue’s, in his book, Eternal Echoes, describes how suffering can cause all we have known and depended upon to […]

Dance With Your Death, part 2

When we come into this world, our hands are clenched. We are grabbing onto life. When we leave this world, our hands are open. We are letting go of life. Unsplash + Death is the great letting go. I.am_nah on Unsplash“>Photo by I.am_nah on Unsplash When we die we let go of our physical bodies. […]

Dance With Your Death, part 1

Anthony DeMello, in his book, The Heart of the Enlightened, tells the story of A merchant in Baghdad sent his servant on an errand to the bazaar and the man came back white with fear and trembling. “Master,” he said, “while I was in the marketplace, I walked into a stranger. When I looked him in […]

Dance With Your Family at End-of-Life

Funerals bring out the best and worst in families. I know this from my work as a pastor and hospice chaplain. When someone dies family members either support each other or conflict with each other in their grief. Grief can draw a family close together in their bonds of love. But grief can also fester […]

The Three Messengers of Aging

As we enter our “later years,” there are three messengers that come knocking at our door. Looking through our door’s peephole we see old age, illness, and death standing on our porch. When these messengers arrive, and they will arrive at every home, we have a choice to make. Do we open the door, welcome […]