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Monday Thought: A Good Death

Most of us would prefer not to think about it--death
that is, and yet it is a reality for all of us, at least for
our physical beings.

Yesterday, Reverend Nicole Kirk, the Minister
of the East Shore Unitarian Universalist Church,
delivered a wonderful sermon on "A Good Death."
What is a good death? I had never asked myself
that question before. It is a question overflowing
with thoughts and feelings.

We think a great deal about whether we are
living a "good" life, but how do we know we will
or can die such a thing as a "good" death?

Is there even such a thing as a "good" death?
A peaceful and painless death would be preferred
by just about everyone. I think we would agree on
that point. But how could any death be a good
death when we want to live forever?

Rev. Kirk quoted the Dalai Lama, who said "A good
death flows from a good life." I can buy that. She
also said that a good death is one that reflects the
pecularities of our life, that is those things that
make us unique human beings. I think that is a
nice way of saying that there is no one way, or
"right' way to die. Why should everyone have to
die the same way, when in fact they lived their
lives quite differently? This is helpful thinking.

Two things are everyday signs of our "life," and
also our eventual "death." They are: our breath
and our heartbeat. May we look to both as readily
available reminders of the preciousness and the
sacredness of all life each day of our lives.

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