More than anything else, my mom would like to know that her family worked together in loving, sensitive, and kind ways to care for her in her dying days and celebrate her long and happy life. That's not easy to do when everyone is experiencing such an emotional loss that touches each of us in so many individual and varied ways.
How can I contribute to the peaceful end my mom would wish for?
As I think of this, the following actions come to mind:
- Respect the many different ways this experience touches each person
- Remember that everyone's relationship with my mom was both similar and different
- Keep a focus on the good times, happy memories, full life my mother experienced
- Do what I can to help out with the cleaning, cooking, care.
- Be quiet a lot--too much noise at this time makes grieving and needed care difficult
- Be grateful for the love, kindness, and presence of so many.
Onward.