The Power of Mortality is not about death. It's about life! Accepting your mortality isn't about giving in to death - it is about truly living your life on purpose.
For the last few weeks, I've been discussing the practical steps that go into using the Power of Mortality. (If you want to catch-up you can read more here) Not surprisingly, our fear of death is the first and largest obstacle which prevents us from embracing our mortality and it has been the subject of my last two Mindful Moments.
Today we're going to continue to look at our fear of death. Another reason we fear death is because of the fact that we are powerless in the face of death. The best doctors and scientists on the planet haven't found a way to interrupt the life cycle. We can't control when, where or how we are going to die. And human beings are all about control. If we can't control something - we fear it.
One of the key lessons that I've learned from living with the Power of Mortality is that you need to focus on the things you can control, rather than the things which are beyond your control. While it is true that you can't control the when, where or how of your death, you can certainly take steps to ensure that you have some input into the process. That is why the second step in using the Power of Mortality is to get involved in your mortality. (This ties in with my instance that you need to engage death on YOUR terms, not on death's terms!)
Andree, a friend of mine, recently told me about a fantastic tool called "The Five Wishes". This tool was developed by a non-profit group called "Aging With Dignity". According to their website: "The Five Wishes document helps you express how you want to be treated if you are seriously ill and unable to speak for yourself. It is unique among all other living will and health agent forms because it looks to all of a person's needs: medical, personal, emotional and spiritual. Five Wishes also encourages discussing your wishes with your family and physician."
Imagine the peace of mind that you would have if you were able to control the standard of care you would receive if you became ill and were dying but unable to communicate. More importantly, imagine the peace of mind that you would have knowing that your family are fully aware of your wishes!
Do yourself (and your family) a favor - spend some time thinking about these tough topics. After all, they only get tougher the closer you get to them!
We'll continue the process next week.
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