Finding Joy at the End of Life

Consider how much time you put into planning for a vacation, wedding, and retirement compared to planning for a funeral or death.  Although we will think about issues such as wills and estate planning or cremation and burial, how often do we communicate and document our lives, and what happens to that information when we die?

In reality, we do not do this often.  When faced with the death of a loved one, we are shocked by how little one knows about what is wanted for final arrangements.  We can be unprepared to deal with the details that go beyond one’s last will and testament. 

In the wake of terminal cancer, one woman came to the realization that her life would be cut short.  Though she intended to fight the disease, she planned for her death.  She made a bucket list and set out to check off items on the list she intended to enjoy while she still could.  She also planned her own funeral, where guests shed both tears of sorrow and joy as they remembered their dear friend.

See Barbara Sedoric, How to find Joy At the End of Life, Even While Planning A Funeral, The Huffington Post, Dec. 2, 2014.

Special thanks to Jim Hillhouse (Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.