If you were dying ...

[Tambora]

I think A4T hit the nail on the head. I'd like to add that I think my age would have a MAJOR impact on which people, if any, that I would tell.

Very good point!
I can see how age would need to be a factor.

It would be different for a young married couple with children than it would be for a old widow that lived alone.

 

[glorydaz]

That's one thing I took care of years ago.

My children are grown, married with their own children.
When my husband (their father) passed away, they went out of their way to spend more time with me. Which is normal, and expected, up to a point. And I appreciated it.

But I had one son that I was closer to than any of my other children.
Not "love" wise, but that we had a connection that was more in tune with each other than my other children.
Mainly because our personalities were almost identical!
We loved the same shows, the same jokes, the same activities, etc.

He went so far out of his way to spend so much time with me (after my husband passed), that he was with me more than his own family.
I kept mentioning to him that it concerned me/
But he had made a promise to his dying father that he would take care of me afterwards. So, he was determined to keep his promise.

It took me a little while to convince him that he had taken that promise to an extreme that he shouldn't have.
He was neglecting his wife.
He was supposed to cling to his spouse, not his mother.
She was the person he became one with, not his mother.
He finally got the picture!

Anyway, after that, I had a talk with all my children and assured them that I would always know they loved me dearly, no matter how much time they could allot to spend with me.
I told them to never let the thought enter their mind that I EVER felt they did not totally love me, and that one of my greatest joys was watching them be proper spouses and parents. Because that's what I raised them to be!

Wow, that was beautiful....and very inspiring. I think it will make more of a difference for ME than you may ever know. Thanks, sweetie....and I know we'll meet on the other side.

 

[Tambora]

Wow, that was beautiful....and very inspiring. I think it will make more of a difference for ME than you may ever know. Thanks, sweetie....and I know we'll meet on the other side.

Yep.
The other side is our real home.

 

[Nang]

No "ifs" about it . . . we are all dying.

Who are we going to spare from that reality?

 

[Tambora]

A lot of folks don't care to talk about death.
After all, it's not really a party theme.

But I think there are ways to prepare others for the inevitable, so that when that time comes, it might not be so heartbreaking to them.
And maybe it's best to start that preparation early in life.

 

[Nang]

A lot of folks don't care to talk about death.
After all, it's not really a party theme.

But I think there are ways to prepare others for the inevitable, so that when that time comes, it might not be so heartbreaking to them.
And maybe it's best to start that preparation early in life.

Agreed.

I call it preaching the gospel.

 

[Tambora]

No "ifs" about it . . . we are all dying.

Yep.

Who are we going to spare from that reality?

I can't think of a single person I would be able to spare from that reality.

 

[shagster01]

Just drag some leaves and brush over my shell if ya' stumble across it.

Yep. I want my body to give back to the earth. Circle of life.

 

[shagster01]

I think it would depend on the amount of time I felt I had left. But I would certainly tell my wife and kids no matter what.

 

[steko]

Yep. I want my body to give back to the earth. Circle of life.

When you say 'my body', are you implying that the body is something that you have as a possession and that you are really something other than and separate from your body?

 

[ContaMundum]

I think I would wait until I was on the last leg of my coming death and could no longer keep it a secret. That way my family would not be sad for any longer than is needed around me. I love their happiness and it would give me strength to meet my death more easily. There happiness is like strong medicine to me, so I would cling to that as long as I could. I hope and pray the question asked was just for discussion and not hiding something more serious, too.

 

[Tambora]

I think I would wait until I was on the last leg of my coming death and could no longer keep it a secret. That way my family would not be sad for any longer than is needed around me. I love their happiness and it would give me strength to meet my death more easily. There happiness is like strong medicine to me, so I would cling to that as long as I could.

I can relate to those thoughts.

I hope and pray the question asked was just for discussion and not hiding something more serious, too.

Just asking questions in general.

 

[shagster01]

When you say 'my body', are you implying that the body is something that you have as a possession and that you are really something other than and separate from your body?

no.

 

[PureX]

What would be the pros and cons of telling others?

That's a tough question!

I suppose I would, eventually, but I'd wait until I was near the end. I suppose they'd know by then, anyway. But I'd wait as long as I could because I would not want to create nor endure a lot of drama.

 

[steko]

no.

The customary use of language certainly makes it sound that way.

 

[shagster01]

The customary use of language certainly makes it sound that way.

I say my body because when I die I die.

 

[resurrected]

I say my body because when I die I die.

if you lose your arm, do you become less "you"?

 

[shagster01]

if you lose your arm, do you become less "you"?

I am whatever I am.

When your child falls do you ask, "are you hurt?"

 

[elohiym]

But he had made a promise to his dying father that he would take care of me afterwards.

I'd tell my family and leave room for such promises to be made.

God bless your son.

 

[resurrected]

I am whatever I am.

perhaps there is an "i" that is independent of the decaying meat