..........Conscious Dying

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In the eighteenth century the examination of one's life in preparation for death was a well-accepted process among literate people, and much was written about dying well. I suspect we may need to get back to that notion.

Maturity - a better word for what I'm getting at than simply old age, which is merely chronological - is a good time for remembering, for mulling over one's earliest years, for reliving the days of wine and roses, for mourning once again the losses of people one loves and has loved. At a time when the days one has left "dwindle down to a precious few,"as the song says, it is good to put one's house of memories in order.

It need not be in the least morbid to dwell on these things from the past - nor need one begin to live there! In fact, if that is what begins to happen, it can to be taken as a signal that all is not right with one's self-image, and that attention needs to be paid to looking at the truths one may not have felt like acknowledging earlier in one's life.

If these truths are still too painful to be brought back out of the dark closet, then it is time to find a wise counselor to help alleviate that pain until the truth can be faced squarely, whatever it may be.

Earlier in life we think it perfectly sensible to invest our money to plan for the future. This is also an investment - in creating a good death for ourselves!

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