re: Close relative is in hospice...(update page 5)

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Hello, old friend. When my mother-in-law died, she being a Buddhist, the monks and nuns would not let us hover over her at the end. The idea being, that we all die alone. That conforms with my view, we live an entire life alone, are born alone and die alone, -just hopefully surrounded by those we love.

Anyhow, the monk told me the day before her death right as she had a great burst of energy and love and speaking that she would die the next day and she did. I told him that she had a lot more time but he assured me it was her last great expression of life and love. As is their tradition we were silent in those hours as she began her journey, not wanting to interfere with what essentially belongs to her (and all of us). A peaceful transition into the next.

A different perspective, and one that was beautiful in its way.

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Thank you for this. I do not reject this viewpoint and it is a valuable perspective. However, this person did not live surrounded by those he loved. Instead, he was intentionally isolated by one who was supposed to love him. He was left but a husk of a man for me to try to nurse back to some semblance of spiritual and physical health. I just didn't want him alone in that room.