Reflecting on Death: NHDD and Boston
Today, April 16th, is National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) in the United States, cleverly set for the day after Tax Day (since, as Ben Franklin said, “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”). It’s a day that emphasizes the importance of advance care planning—talking about and documenting our wishes for end of life.
It’s also the day after the bombing at the Boston Marathon, and my country is reeling. As I reflect on NHDD, and as I open my heart with compassion for Boston, I am looking death in the eye.
There’s a quote attributed to Buddha that keeps coming to my mind:
Of all footprints,
that of the elephant is supreme.
Of all mindfulness meditations,
that on death is supreme.
Contemplating Buddha’s analogy, an elephant’s footprint doesn’t actually matter more than that of a lark or any other creature; it just makes a much heavier imprint on the ground than all other footprints. Similarly, you could spend time talking about the end of life (as NHDD encourages you to, and as acts of violence force you to), or you could be talking about what to make for dinner. Talking about death has the power to create a much bigger impact on your life than most other conversations.
Reflecting on and talking about my death inspires me to open my heart more fully to my life, to the people I love, and to everyone I encounter. I do not know which moment will be my last, but I do know that I’d like that moment to be one of kindness, grace and gratitude. I want to die in a condition of ease, with a heart full of love from a life lived well.
Have you been thinking about death too? Have you shared your wishes with family? Have these conversations illuminated what qualities matter most to you in life?
