What does living life fully mean to you?

Really.

Take a few minutes and imagine what it means to you now—at this time in your life, at this age, what are your wishes, hopes, dreams, realities, responsibilities, your health, and the health and well-being of the people in your family and close circle.

What’s your answer?

Are you living it?

What do you love about your life now? What do you like? What needs some adjusting… and what has GOT to be let go to the best of your ability… I know, life is complex.

I’m happy to share  a few of my answers if you’re curious.

Making art every day… Delighting in nature’s beauty. Most importantly, being connected to my family, friends, my past, and my present… Being active in nature…

That very first question above was the opening for our first session of The Community Death Literacy Project that I am facilitating on Saturdays in a nearby town. The series was developed by community doula, Francesca Lynn Arnoldy based on her book, Living Fully, Dying Prepared. It felt like the right place to begin, to ground us in our thoughts of the good life and quality of life. We had a rousing discussion and then shifted gears. We moved into sharing about what it means to prepare for our own dying and death.

It is fascinating to listen deeply to how people envision quality of life toward the end of their lives—what makes life worth living. The logistics of living—our changing health, living with a partner, a relative, or on our own—were part of the discussions about our hopes, fears, and challenges. Of course, our conversations highlighted a variety of ideas, belief systems, personal preferences, family, religious, spiritual, and cultural traditions. The desire—and the wondering about how—to speak with our families/inner circle was palpable in the room. There was comfort in saying our thoughts aloud, and in hearing others’ musings. Our sharing illuminated so many aspects of our common human condition.

What a delight to think, talk, reflect, and learn from and with each other. This four week educational series,  is the result of a collaboration between Francesca Lynn Arnoldy, and Compassion & Choices. The Project’s goals are to build a deeper understanding of both health and death literacy and to normalize conversations about end-of-life. I am honored to be one of the ten recipients awarded funds to build on our learning in the Contemplative Doula’s Death Literacy Educator training program.

If you want to bring this program or other workshops on living fully and appreciatively, loss and grief, or preparing for dying and death to your circle of friends, a community group, or elsewhere, or you want coaching for yourself, please contact me.