The discussion around the table focused on many things. Family, life, fun, church, decor and much more.
One topic hit home to me. I brought up the question. We were a group gathered because one of us is deathly sick. Not dead – not even dying in the sense of confined to bed and one respirators and life giving support.
But the cancer is there and symptoms were there – and a next stage might be approaching.
When we begin our lives after high school, when we marry and have a family, when a new career arises . . . our inclination is to plan ahead for adventure. We want to achieve something. We want to make a mark. We want to have security.
When end of life becomes a focus, the priorities change. We are now planning for another adventure. We want to find a way to be peaceful with our lives. We want a way to surrender control that we have gained in our adventure of life so far. We want a way to step into the next days where our worth is no longer based on our achievement.
In one sense the end of life issues are just the upside-down of the beginning of life issues. God’s answers are sprinkled in the Bible and seen in those who follow him. This is something I want to explore more over this next while.