As I enlarged my vision to see the bigger picture of my dad’s full life, I was better able to let go of being stuck in memories of its end.

By seizing every opportunity for kindness, forgiveness, healing, and love that crosses my path each day, I hope that my death, although perhaps sad for some, will be gracefully concluded.

The shift from thinking that I must feel forgiveness to the practice of repetitive giving forgiveness has helped me in my healing journey.

Surrendering to the best of my abilities when the price of life has outweighed its benefit may be a compassionate choice for me and those around me.

By acknowledging my impermanence, I can consider if there is anything I can do now to help my loved ones who will be left behind cope with losing me and to facilitate healing.

As I inch forward to embrace my life again by being mindful, writing books, and planning adventures, I sense my dad would approve. I know he would want me to be happy.

I am certain that I’m not the only one who would like to have a do-over on an interaction with a loved one.

A paradigm shift of viewing palliative care or hospice as a gift instead of seeing it as giving up has the potential to change the way we experience advanced age.

I believe it’s imperative to bring the light of support and knowledge to patients and families when death is approaching.

Without guidance and support for patients and families approaching death, there may be unnecessary conflict, confusion, and trauma that linger long after the passing of a loved one.

It behooves me to remember as I advance in age that death is an inevitable part of the life cycle rather than a medical failure.

All adults should strive to be more like children.

THEY are afraid of nothing, ' I grumbled, watching their approach through the window. 'Together, they would brave Satan and all his legions.

What America does best is produce the ability to accept failure.

A poem generated by its own laws may be unrealized and bad in terms of so-called objective principles of taste, judgement, deduction.

It is rarely [Americans] dine in society, except in taverns and boarding-houses. Then they eat with the greatest possible rapidity, and in total silence.

Color will play no part in the art of future.

When I was 12, I had a coach tell me I would never be a championship pitcher. That devastated me. I was crushed.

The saddest birds a season find to sing,The roughest storm a calm may soon allay;Thus with succeeding turns God tempereth all,That men may hope to rise yet fear to fall.

Your life is a mirror. Life gives us not what we want. Life gives us who we are

I don't want to always be 'the best I can be.' I just want to be me.