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Groundhogs, death, and end-of-life planning
In my part of the world, the groundhog saw his shadow and scurried back into his burrow, heralding another 6 weeks of winter. And, as I write, we are preparing for a winter storm.
Isn’t it interesting how we can live in such a technologically-advanced world and still hold on to our folk traditions and beliefs? Can a furry rodent better predict the weather better than our meteorologists? Whether it can or not is debatable. The issue is that many of us still believe in the supernatural.
The same is true when it comes to talking about death and end-of-life matters. Some people just won’t do it because they believe that to do so will only invite death into their lives. Does talking about sex get you pregnant?
As an End-of-Life Planning Facilitator, we often have to confront a client’s beliefs — as odd as they might sound — with understanding and patience. Recently, I had a client who wanted me to help her 86-year-old father get his affairs in order. We arranged a Zoom call for the three of us. At the arranged time, the daughter and I connected and got acquainted. Where was her father? She had to call him twice before he joined us.
It was clear from the outset that he was reluctant. He claimed that he didn’t really need any help and he didn’t know why his daughter was so concerned. Judging from the…
