Monica, this is one of my favorite posts that I reviewed so far. I truly enjoyed your articulation of the concept of time and the quotes and examples you referenced. Also, the life lessons that you have taken away from the death of a loved one made me take time to reflect on my own experiences and current goals.
I was particularity moved by your re-focused perspective on time after the death of your loved one. “I recognized that allusion of our time never-ending, gets replaced with the stark reality of how limited our time is” (Grace, 2018). I find this to be such a valuable lesson, and to be able to discover this sooner than later in life, is a true gift. I am surrounded by people taking their last breath almost daily, and witness first hand the emotional and psychosocial struggle that people and families experience as they are faced with looming death. The request for more time, and regret for not enjoying the time they had is a difficult pain to mend as there is no type of intervention that can give time back.
After being in a serious car accident ten years ago and working in Hospice care, I as well was given this realization of “time as a daily miracle or gift” (Watson, 1951, p. 143). I refocused my priorities and values which determine where I put my energy everyday. I live by these words and truly believe in the truth behind them, find strength in the past, live for today, and hope for tomorrow.
What also stood out to me was your realization of “relationships over ambition” (Grace, 2018). Walking into a room with a patient that is surrounded by the love of their family and friends is very intimate, and some of the most precious memories are made in these moments. Conversely, seeing a patient alone, with nobody at their bedside and at the end of their journey can be heart wrenching. I can say in confidence, when the time comes and the end of your life is approaching all that matters is those relationships with others. What you accomplish in you career, how many credentials you have or what is in your bank account matters nothing if relationships were sacrificed in the process. At the end, I feel that relationships become the most important factor in how are lives are measured.
In response to your question, I strongly feel that there is a greater purpose in life to live for. Like I mentioned in my post above, some people don’t realize this until later on in their life and it is truly a gift if people are able to discover this sooner. Advancing and improving ourselves is still an important part of one’s journey, but I don’t think it can compare to finding a greater purpose and living life through those eyes.
Daneen
References
Grace, M. (2018). Where do you find the time: Light from Many Lamps (Part 4). Retrieved from https://create.twu.ca/monicagrace/2018/10/19/where-do-you-find-the-time-light-from-many-lamps-part-4/
Watson, L.E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York: Simon and Schuster.
October 20, 2018 at 11:59 pm
Thank you so much Daneen, that is so encouraging to read how this impacted you and your thoughts on the lesson. I appreciated you sharing about your experience about the car accident and working in hospice care. We spent those last months in hospice, with our loved one. In such a trying time, it was a lovely experience at that hospice. Sure appreciate the work you do in that environment, not easy, but so meaningful and necessary!