I met Stephen Garret and a Hospice event and he gave a very potent talk on how we as a community tend to push away when we hear someone is dying. We stop visiting and try to find the best way to avoid being near people as they draw close to the end of life. Death is a taboo to be avoided and when we hear about we run. Stephen is right and he wants to show us a better way. That better way inspired him to become an author and speaker.
At the end of the podcast, interview Stephen Left me with his book When Cancer Came Knocking: How one Family Answered. This book describes the life and feeling around his brother being diagnosed with Cancer. The writing shows a great relationship with family and how an unwelcomed guest would change lives. I believe this book to be a great reference for all families to have handy to remind us how we need to come together and learn to be, to listen and to live. One of our big problems in the Western World is how we run from life and just play things safe. We need to learn to be open and related we others in our community.
Stephen and I talked about things we can do and should do to show compassion to our neighbours when we see that they are going through and emotional time. Cutting a neighbour’s lawn because they are having a struggle says “I care and I am here for you.” We all need to feel like we belong and that we are part of a community. We all will need this connection and we should offer it to others.
Listen to the Interview and buy the book.
