Cancer Diary: The Spiritual Side of Life--and Death
When Carl was dying from cancer of unknown primary, he was reluctant to face his own mortality. He would not tall about it with anyone except our priest, Fr. Ed. When Fr. Ed arrived to give last rites, Carl had been mostly near-comatose for two days, but when Fr. Ed spoke his eyes flew open, he listened intently, and he even laughed at Fr. Ed's humor. The following morning at 7:30 a.m., Carl passed away peacefully, surrounded by all his children and all his cats -- and of course, his wife. It was as if Fr. Ed's words, the last rites, or the presence that surrounded that encounter at last brought acceptance and peace. The vulnerable of someone approaching death, their apprehension, and their unwillingness to talk about it can be disconcerting for family members who not then know how to approach any of the realities of life at the moment. It appears that Spirit is quite important as this note I found somewhere online says: The Spirit A person’s spirituality is unique and pers