FootprintsintheWind.com

How you are cared for as you die is about autonomy—you should be able to die as you wish—but also your “as you wish” can only be complete after hearing out your loving ones. When you die, a part of them is dying too.

:- Doug.

What is the work of dying? Say you have days to weeks left; you are conscious, alert and pain free. Please ponder for a couple of moments what you would want to be doing during this time. Write at least 5 things that would be most meaningful for you to be doing.

:- Doug.

What if your doctor said you had to choose between cure with lots of pain or no efforts to cure but pain would be relieved? What if it were not your doctor but a bureaucrat? When it comes to the US today, the latter is the law.

:- Doug.

My thinking is turning gradually from the absolute standard of autonomy, making some room in my thinking for what are the wishes of the family, defining family as all those around who are approaching death with this person, who will be affected by the death, who will in measure experience the death too.

:- Doug.

Meditation/Contemplation is opening space in my too-busy mind for God. What topic of conversation will God post?

:- Doug.

What’s the population of your back yard? How many living things? Birds and bacteria, fish and flying insects, people and pets?

:- Doug.

People perceive all different aspects of the divine. Let us let them live, for life gives forth life.

:- Doug.

Footprints in the Wind^sm # 1323

The world is nuanced
neither oo nor ah
late nor soon
unity nor diversity
more and combinations of more
suggesting suggestive
open opened opening

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© c 2013, Learning Works, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Easy reprint permissions: 574/321-0022, or by e-mail to mailto:Doug AT FootprintsInTheWind.com. Back issues available at http://www.FootprintsintheWind.com

Conversing is Caring.

:- Doug.

Divine & ecstatic
We are invited
freed
called home
to live among us
divine & ecstatic

:- Doug.

Does anybody want to add any reflections, especially those of you who have spoken little or not at all?

:- Doug.

We live in a world
Divine & ecstatic
When we let go
Evil & despotic
When we grasp

:- Doug.

How might we find caring more widely?

:- Doug.

This is simple: we already have the knowledge, skills and technology to do better for those approaching death; we can use POST (Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment) as a catalyst for compassion.

:- Doug.

Invite people to notice when they are doing well.

:- Doug.

Encourage people to look about them in care of the dying.

:- Doug.

Here is not just in my chair: it is the yard about, the roads around, the city and region and interstellar space surrounding me. Here is not the thoughts I had moments ago, nor yet the tasks or meals ahead: it is opening to what else is throbbing, whispering to be touched to be heard. Here is opening. It takes work and vigilance to get here.

:- Doug.

Footprints in the Wind^sm # 1322

We have come a long way
We have come here to play
Maybe we are not strong enough,
wise enough, good enough
But we shall do & maybe we shall see

Please pass it on.

© c 2013, Learning Works, Incorporated. All rights reserved. Easy reprint permissions: 574/321-0022, or by e-mail to mailto:Doug AT FootprintsInTheWind.com. Back issues available at http://www.FootprintsintheWind.com

If here is bigger than we know, then so too must be now.

:- Doug.

Easy does it is not easy is it?

:- Doug.

In meditation/contemplation, we’re not supposed to go anywhere: just be here. Here is bigger than we know.

:- Doug.

In any opening of space, some people will come out knowing at least one other person who can help them get better.

:- Doug.

I bring the juicy question: the panelists bring in the facts and truth and longitudinal question: where do we go from here? The panel? Everyone attending.

:- Doug.