Tell Me

Hi Everyone!

Sorry I have not written much here lately. I have been busy with preparing for speaking engagements and working on book number next!! Book number next has the working title “Spirit in Creation.” It is being written with a co-writer!! More to come… On Wednesday, I met with a group of people at Granite Ledges in Concord, NH. This luncheon/talk was hosted by Granite VNA and Granite Ledges. It was great to meet many of you for the first time and see others again!!

At that event, I read the poem “Tell Me”. I promised I would post it here on my blog for people to re-read as they choose. So here it is!!

Tell Me
Tell me, Sir, have you thought at all
About the end of your life?
Tell me, Ma’am, how do you envision
Your last weeks, days or moments on earth?

These questions, I know
Are heavy
Laden down, fraught with emotion

Let’s look away
Don’t go there    You say
Save that conversation for another day.

Tell me, my friend
When will that day come?
Will you wait
Until it is too late?
Might you delay
So long you have no say
Because you cannot speak.

Life is fragile
Our bodies vulnerable
Bad stuff happens
No one escapes alive

Looking away
Comes, often, with a heavy price to pay
Children argue – disagree
What would Mom want?
What would Dad say?
The decisions are hard
And often lead to conflict, grief, guilt feelings. 

Decisions made at a time of great angst
Are seldom made with careful consideration
Are often questioned, critiqued and regretted

Tell me, what would you want
If nearing the end of your life
Where would you like to be? 
What would you wish your medical care to focus on?
Would you wish to try to prolong your remaining days/weeks
Or would you wish, above all, to focus on being as comfortable and peaceful as possible?

Tell me, who do you think
Would honor your wishes?
Who do you think would be capable
Of advocating for you
Even when filled with sadness?
Tell me, and we can work on that.

Tell me, can you imagine how 
Facing these questions now
Would be a great investment 
In your future
And the future of your loved ones?

Thinking about, talking about these issues
Does not make them happen
But when they do happen
It makes life easier for everyone
It makes your life your own.

Patricia O'Connor