The Picturing Death Project Journal Entries from 1999-2003

The simple but effective structure for the Picturing Death Project, a cast glass table, four chairs, and journals, provide a structure for journal writing with 4 questions that help participants examine how we will choose to live with the knowledge that death is inevitable. Currently, the project table, chairs and journals reside at Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan in Kalamazoo. http://www.hospiceswmi.org

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Journal Entry 171

1.

No matter what it is peaceful...

Despite how one may die.

Death can be a relief

It should not be feared of,

There is no pain when you are dead

I believe and hope this life is short in

comparison of death and life after

Death.

I believe life exists because of death,

They are coexisting

Everything in life prepares one for death,

every bit of life gets one closer to death,

It’s ok.

I do believe people go different ways

when they die, there are the ones that

go to “Heaven”, the ones who got to “Hell”

and the ones who are “lost”.

Who knows, all three places could be fun.


It’s a time of reflection, to look back and

see what life meant, was it worth it? why?

What did one do for the meaning of life?

How did one affect life, the world?

Was there a reason, even if small, to live?

Will I be able to communicate w/people full of life?

I am separate from the living? Will I still be recognized?

For how long?:

Or maybe none of this will matter to me.


When are you considered dead?


2.

When is one considered Dead?

Is it merely a physical term or more than that.

I’d like to believe Death is a broader term,

One is dead, or should I say a body is dead

When the body is hollow and lifeless

How does it get hollow?

Are some people more hollow than others?

in a sense I think so.


I’ve experienced many deaths of all definitions

Many aquaintences w/people I’ve noticed

they could be dead, no life, no spirit left in them

for whatever reasons

Friends, family members looking fabulous

on the outside, but decaying away inside...

Lifeless...

The greatest goal in life is to remain full of life until

your death, rather than face physical death being lifeless,

spiritless.

This way of dying is the true fear for myself.


Numerous deaths by cancer,

I’ve accepted that it is reality for me

Death by suicidal shooting,

Death by not waking up,

Death by the body randomly giving up,

Death by disease,

Death by old age,

Death by accident,

Death by bombing,

Death by plane crash,

Which way is the best way?

I don’t think it matters one bit.

No worries, life goes on after death.

3.

Life , every bit of it, is a reminder of Death.

Death is a reminder of life.

To answer this question would be to write down

my whole life experience so far. Every deciesion in life is contributed to

your death.

Being happy and fulfilled to the end is

how I try to look at life, but all of the decisions

along the way can be be distracting .

Death gives everyone a reason to live, and to live

contently , but it should’t be a selfish thing like some may say to you.


Question, why you are living?

Despite the technicalites one who is alive,

is living and there is a reason for that life.

If that were not so, Life would be pointless, an done who thins that is missing out on life.


4.

Hope to be happy, or hope to have been happy,

Hope to have experienced as much as possible

good or bad

Hope to be fulfilled, whatever that means

it’s different for each person

Hope to be loved or to have loved as much as possible

Hope to be rememered often.

Hope to leave a dent somewhere in this life w/someone or something


I fear I will not be comfortable w/ the fact of

unknowing death an dwhat it brings.

Other than that, I’m not afraid of death or

What it brings, but fearful of how I might die.



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