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Finding meaning |
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 Shaping
Meaning: A Few Ideas
There are many ways to find and give meaning to your experience. These
are offered as examples of things others have done to heal and grow.
 Meditating
Meditation is a way to center yourself and your thoughts, to quiet
your mind and connect with the Infinite. Tapes can help you learn
to meditate. You might also ask the hospice or hospital chaplain or
a social worker to help you find ways to meditate.
Gathering
Gathering with people you love and who are important to you can be
enriching to you and to them. One man, told he had but four weeks
to live, organized a party and invited his many friends to come. Family
and friends made tributes and shared memories and stories. Such gatherings
can be surprisingly happy and can give you a chance to say goodbye
to people you have enjoyed and loved.
Creating
Making a tape of stories or memories, sharing your experience with
family members and friends, is a wonderful gift to you and your family.
By making a tape, a special photo album, or a scrapbook for those
you will leave behind, you can help create memories of times you shared.
Some people, especially parents, write letters to the children who
will survive them. Giving
Some cultures and traditions emphasize gift-giving. Native Americans, for instance, give valuable
keepsakes to signify the end of life. This ritual allows the giver to show appreciation for the relationship shared.
Leaving
a Legacy
You can give more than your material treasures to those you love through
an "ethical will." Leave a letter or tape recording sharing your values,
hopes, insights, beliefs, and wisdom. Even just tell your story. Your
bequest becomes both a cherished memento and a way to continue your
good ways. |
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Adapted from The
Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness,
by Joanne Lynn and Joan Harrold, copyright by Joanne Lynn, used by
permission of Oxford University Press.
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