Don’t Die Before your Dead

Jesus says: “I came that you might have life and have it to the full.” (Jn 10:10)

Mary was in Home Hospice Care for 7 months before brain cancer took her life.  But she wasn’t worried about it.  She showed no fear.  She never said: “Why me?”  She didn’t complain.  The Hospice Nurses and her family gave her great care.  And her mom and I brought her Communion…food for the journey…nearly every week. 

She died recently. Her breathing was very shallow and her husband knew it wouldn’t be long.  So what did he do?  He got an ice cream bar from the freezer and shared it with Mary.  She ate some of it and so did he. 20 minutes later, she took her last breath. 

Mary didn’t die before she was dead.  She lived her life fully until the end. 

Anxieties, worries, regrets and fears can deaden us.  They disguise the fact that we can’t control everything. They keep us from living the present moment.  And that’s sad.

Doesn’t sharing ice cream with a loved one just before dying sound pretty good?   

What does it mean to live life fully?  What deadens your spirit? What and/or who could help you die with grace?