No One Wants to Die Alone

Our views of death may have changed over the years, but one thing remains certain: we all need and want genuine, unconditional love. It touches and heals our soul, strengthens our spirit and enriches our lives. Birth and death, (entrance and exit from Earth), are two events where unconditional love is especially important. If you knew you only had a few weeks to live what conditions would you want around you? Would you prefer to be at home in familiar surroundings, or in a hospital or hospice center with access to medical professionals and trained volunteers to comfort you while you wait for your departure? Would you want your pastor or a member from your church to be with you as you make your exit? I would rather have a friend or family member with me, but perhaps you would prefer to die alone.

In an article from Dyingwell.org titled "Spiritual Care at the End of Life," statistics were given from a 1997 Gallup survey, Spiritual Beliefs and the Dying Process. The survey suggested that people who are dying want contact with someone they can share their fears and concerns with. Many wanted someone to touch them or hold their hand. About half want someone to pray with them and help them find spiritual peace. Many who are dying want their spouse, children, immediate family members or close friends nearby. Even though many of the people surveyed considered themselves part of the religious community of faith, very few actually wanted a member of clergy to be with them in their last days. A person who is unable to control his bodily functions or feed himself is probably not going to find much comfort in the pastor or church member sent to “make the rounds to visit the sick and elderly”.