Unacceptable? Fear of Death, not Death, Ruins Lives

     I've had two different senior health-care professional colleagues emphatically tell me that their own death is "unacceptable." One of them became so upset from drawing up his will, that he abandoned the effort.

     "wise individuals evince less despair and greater equanimity because they (are) more likely to grapple with existential dilemmas and paradoxes that give life more meaning."
     Le TN. Life satisfaction, openness value, self-transcendence, and wisdom. Journal of Happiness Studies 2011; 12(2): 171-182.

     “The denial of impermanence, aging, and death is a big problem. It leads to a fundamental tightness of spirit and a fearful, reactive approach to life. The more we are willing to face that which we usually avoid, and even fear, the more we begin to relax at a fundamental level with ourselves. It is futile to fight with reality. It just doesn’t feel right. What a relief it is to stay with our experience fully, even when it is painful, and in turn be more fully present for others.” Judy Lief

Photo: Patty Capps   www.dpreview.com