FootprintsintheWind.com

Emotions are a central part of all decisions, even when the decision is to hold all emotions at bay and proceed only on our perceived absence of emotions, termed logic.

:- Doug.

Even that
Let go

:- Doug.

How to love in a nursing home?
How do we bring life to Mom?
A good day to Dad?

:- Doug.

God seems a pathway
More, its walking
Or, its undulating, swaying
Maybe that’s what we see
When we say, living

:- Doug.

Our best humanity is found in going where we are helpless.

:- Doug.

Cure, salve, presence: what we can do for one another. Any one can heal.

:- Doug.

Everything is moving, moving
Everything is working, working

:- Doug.

All the wind—
It’s a great ventilating day
All the clouds—
The day is working us
All the sun—
The living day is generating, generating

:- Doug.

I have nothing to ask of you other than to be human.

:- Doug.

Clear heart.

:- Doug.

God might be bigger than that.

:- Doug.

Conversation is work.

:- Doug.

We are still in the information age—we think more information will solve all.

:- Doug.

We now have the choice of what kind of death we want, although we haven’t yet realized it. This fact that there are few acute diseases anymore, that the trajectory is a long tail, gives us these choices. But we as a culture have not talked together about this. In fact the old taboo prevents our reflection, a taboo that no longer fits our facts of life and death.

:- Doug.

I am worried. Words that fit for a client for whom I have had a call this morning. I am worried she is in extremis. These words both fit and are fit for our conference. I think from what I am hearing that we are in the end times for this client. Obviously I cannot make a medical determination. But can this client climb the hill much further?

:- Doug.

Conversation is not in the Yeses and Noes, but also in the nuances of colors.

:- Doug.

How will we know when to stop fighting for time and start meaningful living?

:- Doug.

What would it be OK to endure: pain, living in bed, being done for?

:- Doug.

What level of being alive is tolerable to you? What is being alive?

:- Doug.

How do you want to spend your time if your health worsens? If there were only a 50% chance of getting out of bed? 25%? 10%?

:- Doug.

Talking heals.

:- Doug.

How do we know when to get out the 17 Things (that is, how do we know when we might be dying)? The progress of the disease (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or end stage)? When the chance of cure is down to what per cent? When the third course of chemo stops working? When we become frail? When we become dependent? When we have how many days left? When the chance of debilitating side effects is what?

:- Doug.

Last words: write a few for a favorite comedian or cartoon character. Then write some for yourself.

:- Doug.