Week 10; The Road to the Afterlife

This week is not long enough to explore all of the topics of the after-life but I think it is very fascinating. Everyone experiences the process of death and dying differently and even if we are all in the same house mourning for the same person we each have a different experience embedded in our memory.

Each culture has different traditions and ceremonies related to the passing of a loved one.  I believe there is a greater power and existence than what we can even possibly fathom here on earth.  I also believe we are here for a reason and we need to try and be the best that we can be to fully feel fulfilled and feel like we have lived a good life full of purpose.

The Stages of Dying According to Kubler-Ross

Denial......Anger.......Bargaining......Depression.......Acceptance

According to Kubler-Ross we all go through theses stages at some point while attempting to cope with dying.  Not everyone goes through each stage and not everyone goes through them in that particular order.

I just lost a high school friend who took his own life yesterday.  I have been looking at things he posted of Facebook and I can clearly see he was telling everyone he was planning on leaving this world.  When I first heard of his death I was shocked, " No way!" (denial), then as I was reading the things he had posted that last few weeks I became a little angry.  One reason is that no one caught the messages he was sending out on Facebook where he clearly was looking for answers about the world, and the afterlife.  I was also angry that I didn't see it sooner (I'm not on Facebook everyday).  I don't think I could have stopped him from taking his life but had I known his intentions I would have definitely made an attempt and at least knew I tried to connect with him.  I'm sure many people feel that way.  

I suppose this is a good chapter to end the class in that it gives you many things to contemplate, Your Life for one, we have this life right now so it's a good time to live it and live it to the fullest.  Taking care of your body mentally and physically is very important.  Having positive social interactions with family, friends, work, etc. is where you get your support system that can help you lead a purposeful, meaningful life which I hope to attain one day and hope you all do as well. 

Marci :)

Week 9: Moving Toward the Inevitable

This week hit very close to home for me mostly because I have been working with the elderly for twelve years on and off.  I think the elderly can teach us so much and I especially enjoy talking with the ones who are still alert and oriented.  I always ask the ones who have made it to their nineties with their minds and bodies still capable of great things what their secret to life is.

I met one gentleman who was nitey-seven years old while I was working.  I was walking down a corridor and watching some of the residents who were outside sitting on benches talking or looking at the flowers when I saw this elderly gentleman's leg fly up in the air and he suddenly dropped and rolled onto the grass.  I ran outside to see if I needed to call 911 and he got up off the ground with ease laughing at me.  He explained he had to practice his kicks to stay strong and he was practicing falling safely so he wouldn't injure himself if he really did have a fall.  Falls often times lead to hip fractures and other injuries that can be the downhill battle and beginning of the end for many older people.  This man was determined not to lose that battle.

That year he married another woman in the facility who was in her eighties.  He died about two years later and his new wife withdrew to her room for the next year, refusing to get out of bed stating she had too much "pain" and mourning over the loss of her new love.  Then one day she looked at me and said "I think I'll get up today, I'm on the market again".  I loved that zest for life the two of them had.  I am inspired by people who have that find joy life and the positive attitude that can carry over to so many aspects of their live's enhancing their own lives and the lives of those around them.

I am a firm believer that our health is directly related to our attitude and how we perceive the world around us.  One of the articles discussed the lack of preventative care and decreased amount of interest in enhancing the lives of the elderly because they've already lived a long life or the misconception that they have nothing left to offer.  If we looked at their wisdom and experiences as a great opportunity to learn rather than a burden we would only be helping ourselves in my opinion.