Although turning 65 is just a number it was the psychological impact that “hit me like a Mack truck” (slang that shows my age). It represents entering the “home stretch” in life, asking a whole new set of questions, and confronting your mortality.

Here is the perfect example of Conversations about Death and Dying. Here is a video by a 97 year old man who is in his last chapter. Life a day in his life and hear his perspectives. And then take time to review the 23,000 comments which he inspired by having this conversation. This post is my own highlights and learnings from this conversation.

Welcome to a series on death. Talk about an opening that would send most people out the door! I probably would have more interest in a discussion about murder or getting a root canal. So why talk about death? By studying death we can form our own conclusion and beliefs. These can help us to grapple with our own mortality and more importantly, the importance of living our lives fully.

I was fortunate to have studied death and volunteer in roles that related to death. With an open mind, a willingness to let-go of so much of the dogma I was taught to belief, and the courage to face my ultimate fear, I had educated myself about death. This combined with the numerous experiences I personally had would forever change my view and understanding of death. This is the value of coming to grips with the inevitable – our mortality.

Why come to Earth? I share the following thoughts in my talk, “Welcome To Earth“, an orientation to the biggest adventure and most amazing journey we will experience in this life…Our Life Here On Earth! If we live in perfection in the afterlife, call it Heaven, Utopia, or whatever, why in heck would we come to […]

For those who work in companies, they are accustomed to the annual performance appraisal. This evaluation by your manager, if done well, is often used as a basis for raises, promotions, and continued development. We are measured on our performance and results compared to the goals we were assigned. Therefore this is considered to be […]

One of the toughest challenges for those that have experienced a lot of abuse, trauma or struggles in their life is finding joy and happiness. We become so accustomed to the struggle, that this is all we know. The absence of joy results in feeling depressed, sad, angry and unhappy. With this lack of genuine […]

Life is challenging at times. What I am continually reminded of, is that the only real thing I truly have under my control is my attitude. Attitude is a choice, something we can make every day, every moment. Not easy to remember at times when we feel we have been victimized by other’s choices or […]

“We learn our belief systems as very little children, and then we move through life creating experiences to match our beliefs. Look back in your own life and notice how often you have gone through the same experience.” -Louise L. Hay I was in my early thirties when a traumatic event in my life caused […]

How do people deal with difficult events that change their lives? The death of a loved one, loss of a job, serious illness, terrorist attacks and other traumatic events: these are all examples of very challenging life experiences. Many people react to such circumstances with a flood of strong emotions and a sense of uncertainty. […]

An up close and personal account of letting go.