Musings on a Monday

A while ago, I was speaking with someone about my volunteering with a local hospice.  I talked with them about how I sit with my patients, hold their hand, read to them, take them out in the sunshine, or just wheel them around the facility so they can see more than the four walls of their room.  I've also sat with a family while their loved one passed away.

The majority of my patients were in the advanced stages of dementia, so holding conversations wasn't something we normally did.  Although I had this one patient that I loved to talk to as every once in a while I would get a smile out of him.

I haven't volunteered with hospice since going back to work full-time.  I really miss it.

The reason I was thinking about this today, is because during my conversation, this person commented that death scared them.

And what made me think about this conversation?  Because I was reading at another blog and this person was talking about death.  No, it's not as morbid as you might think; they were talking about the process of death and being ready to die...and dying gracefully.

So that made me think about my previous conversation.  And I remembered saying, in response to the comment about being afraid, that I was not afraid to die.

And I'm not.

Now, I'm not going to be all pious and holy and tell you that I welcome death so that I can be with my Lord and end all my suffering, etc etc.  Honestly, I don't think about it enough one way or the other.  But I do know that I'm not afraid to die. 

I know where I'm going.  I don't have the fear of the unknown.

And it makes me sad to think there are people out there who don't have that assurance of knowing.

I'm not going to lie to you though, I have thought about HOW I'm going to die and that unknown makes me a bit nervous.  Will it be quick or will it be a long drawn out event?

After spending time with my hospice patients who had dementia, I do know that is not the way I want to go.  After watching my dad and my mother-in-law suffer in pain from cancer, I'm thinking that would not be so pleasant either.

But do any of us have an control over our own deaths; how or when it will happen?

No.

That is entirely in God's hands.

So my musing today is about how will I die and will I have the opportunity to do it with such grace that God is honored.  Will I have the opportunity to show that one person that I am not afraid, that I know with certainty that God is with me and will be waiting for me after I breathe my last.  Will that one person then come to believe and trust and no longer fear.

I am not sure.

But I am sure that God has it all under control and until that time, I can live with great joy and peace.

Do you know for sure where you are going?

Would you like to know?

You can go here to receive that assurance.  And if you do, please let me know.  You can find my email by clicking on my profile.

Grace, peace and much love to you.

Sue