- Beth’s husband had trouble sleeping on his back so Beth came up with an ingenious idea to solve his problem with out going to the hospital. Sleeping half way on a table and half on a bed.
- Beth did not want other people taking care of her husband such as hospice. She felt that only loved ones should take care of a person so close to their death. Beth and her son Evan took care of her husband best way possible, together.
- At death the room felt as still and as silent as it could be.
- The toll of a loved one dying helps people feel a sense of how we are not immortal.
When Beth said, at death the room felt as still and as silent as could be. I understood what she was talking about. I have had many people in my family die and I have felt this time and time again. But just recently I watched my grandma pass away slowly. It was very painful for me to watch and when her time came it felt like I was in a tunnel. My mind linked to hers, nothing could get in or out. It was silent in the room. I stood watching her with my thoughts about her life and her last words. I couldn’t feel movement in the world. Until the link was naturally broken and I got to the point of acceptance. It was time to say my final good-byes, where I could touch her and she still would feel warm. That feeling is almost indescribable; there is a sense of power that when I close my eyes I can feel in the room, in silence and in my thoughts.
The toll of a loved one dying helps people feel a sense of how we are not immortal. When Beth said this statement I felt it with great power in my heart because I too have the extreme feeling of not being immortal. In the last couple of years I have seen my family members die making me lose my childhood dreams of living forever. The thing that made me feel immortality was never possible was when I had a friend commit suicide. Having someone that I knew my age dying put death in the front of my mind. This scared me because I am afraid to die. I always thought if I could, I would be immortal but then I know everybody I love would die one day and I would still be here. Having to deal with the pain of my loved ones dying and me staying alive is too hard for me to handle. Still I don’t know how to accept death.
Beth sparked ideas of joy and sadness in my eyes. She made me think of what good someone could do for the world but also how fast the world can "kill" you. She made me think about my family an actually help me think about death. From her confidence to speak in class it has made me feel better about my ability to write about my "death life".
"This scared me because I am afraid to die." Evan was in a state of disbelief that someone his age would take their own life.
ReplyDeleteI liked this part of Evan's blog because Evan has always been afraid of dying. When he was younger and spoke of this I used to think he wanted to be like Peter Pan because he enjoyed playing with his friends so much. Growing up as an only child, Evan was very outgoing and social.
With all the deaths that have occurred around his life recently,I have come to realize that his fear is more like Hamlet's. He doesn't know what the afterlife will bring. I have suggested that we read Hamlet together or perhaps his class might study it since it is one of Shakespeare's greatest plays.
First off I think that it's cool that you had a relationship with your grandmother where you two had linked minds. And secondly I think that's a great point you made about humans not living forever and that's the reason that we should live our lives to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteEvan,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that you had to watch your grandmother pass away slowly. Like you my grandmother is very sick right now and has been for some time now. I know how you feel, it is horrible to have to watch someone you love suffer like that. I do agree with your insight of how someone can do so much good for the world and then the world can kill them. It's very unfair but i guess that's just how life goes. Very good post in all though.
I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother and your friend dying. I have always thought what would it be like if one of my friends killed themselves. I've never heard of it happening to anybody I know but I keep hearing how its such a problem. For my own interest how do you think of that person now? I find it interesting that when you were little you had dreams of immortality. I think we all share that when were little but we just don't know better. We can't really understand it. So we all share that dream in a way.
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