“Later, when I process Betty's death with Eileen, the wise volunteer coordinator, she says: "You know, Pete, the Buddhists say: 'A new baby cries when it comes into the world, but everyone else laughs in delight. But everyone cries when a person dies... except the person, who instead laughs in joy at returning home.'" "I've got to tell you, Pete, I've been doing this work for a long time, and every time I'm at a deathbed, I feel mildly envious of the person who has just passed.” DeathBirthFear Of Death Book:HOMESTEADING in the CALM EYE of the STORM: A Therapist Navigates His Complex PTSD Source: HOMESTEADING in the CALM EYE of the STORM: A Therapist Navigates His Complex PTSD
“I make the rounds, briefly interacting with conscious patients, and silently dispensing blessings to those who are checked out or comatose. I then settle at Betty's bedside. She releases a shuddering breath and becomes still. I look closely for evidence of breathing. I occasionally think I see her open eyes shimmer. But then my certainty grows that she has passed. I alternate between humming and meditating for the next hour and finally lay my palm on her forehead and feel a chill settling into her dead body. My subsequent reaction astounds me. Instead of grief, I feel a great sense of relief. All quality of life ceased long ago for her. She has transitioned.” DeathPeaceGriefRelief Book:HOMESTEADING in the CALM EYE of the STORM: A Therapist Navigates His Complex PTSD Source: HOMESTEADING in the CALM EYE of the STORM: A Therapist Navigates His Complex PTSD