Memento mori
I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
31–40 of 58 posts
Re: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
#32Reminds of this piece by the founder of Cloudinary about the unexpected death of his 8-year old son. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-later-than-you-think-j-r-...
Oh my. Wonderfully written piece (and so is his wife's).
As the father of a 5 year old, I cannot fathom going through they. They are very strong people.
Re: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
Your more general enquiry seems to be around how to be more grateful and less neurotic and I think that mindfulness meditation should help improve those areas. Being more mindful helps you become more self-aware. Thus, when you feel frustrated you are more likely to objectively notice the emotion which somehow makes it unravel. As for the gratitude I don't know how mindfulness meditation helps with that but experient…
Thanks for the suggestion. I've tried meditating before but, if I'm being honest, have never really given it a proper and earnest effort. Neurotic is definitely the perfect word to describe how I feel most of the time, so maybe this will finally be the kick-in-the-ass I need to give this a shot.
Well, I'm rooting for you and hope that you get what you need from it!
Re: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
#34“The wisdom of the wise, and the experience of ages, may be preserved by quotations” --Benjamin Disraeli (b. 1804)
Re: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
#35That was quite nice. The writer seems to be in relative peace about the whole situation, or at least as peaceful as one can be knowing that the end is near. Unrelated but related: How do we keep stories like this in the "middle" of our minds? I've noticed with myself--and many others--that we read articles and essays like this, contemplate them for a moment or two, think about how we should be more {appreciate, grate…
> How do we keep stories like this in the "middle" of our minds?
I practice interrupting myself between stimulus and reaction, and at least noting that I paused, and better if I take a breath and notice what I’m feeling. Ideally I then choose what to do next. So far this is working for low-threat stimuli that I can laugh about. Much more challenging to interrupt are the deep-cut grooves of reaction to my spouse, and concern for her well-being (and mine and everyone I interact with) motivates me to keep practicing.
When I stop and notice, a long, deep nasal breath, 5-6 seconds in and out each, helps me feel more like my immediate needs are met. If it’s big, gnawing thing and I’m not currently embroiled, a cold shower helps put things in perspective, maybe because it shocks my system with a physical threat that overrides the perceived threat? Anyway, feels really good afterwards, and then I’m ready to be an adult again.
Re: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
I was born with multiple heart defect. I've had so many surgeries I wasn't sure I'd wake up from, in fact my first surgery was at 3 and is my first memory, for a couple weeks out of every year I practically live at a cardiologist.. it's funny talking about waiting for a package. Most things roll off my back but waiting.. for packages, waiting in line, etc. drive me nuts. I could die at any second, I want to experienc…
Geez--that sounds rough. I literally cannot imagine what that must be like (and hope I never have to). Good luck with everything. Haha--I'm glad you also brought up the packages and waiting in line. It's such a strange annoyance. Like you said, you experience multiple surgeries per year, yet you still experience the same frustration with the packages! I find that incredibly...reassuring is the word that comes to mind…
The short answer is as far as I can tell, fundamentally yes, in almost every facet. I guess I could give the cliff notes otherwise it would be a 10 page wall of text to unpack.
Re: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
#37Reminds of this piece by the founder of Cloudinary about the unexpected death of his 8-year old son. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-later-than-you-think-j-r-...
Oh my. Wonderfully written piece (and so is his wife's). As the father of a 5 year old, I cannot fathom going through they. They are very strong people.
Agreed. It’s devastating to read but also beautiful and vulnerable in a way that makes its message hard to ignore.
Re: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
#38Reminds of this piece by the founder of Cloudinary about the unexpected death of his 8-year old son. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-later-than-you-think-j-r-...
*cloudability
Re: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
#39The first that comes in my mind is: he lived 70 years, born and raised in a rich country, he had a lovely family. He had a good life reason to be happy and he should start thinking about others with less luck like him, E.g. children dying to underfeeding, genetics diseases, war, etc.
Re: I just learned I only have months to live. This is what I want to say
#40The first that comes in my mind is: he lived 70 years, born and raised in a rich country, he had a lovely family. He had a good life reason to be happy and he should start thinking about others with less luck like him, E.g. children dying to underfeeding, genetics diseases, war, etc.
He’s dying and writing about how he feels about it. It doesn’t bother me that he has his own death at the forefront of his mind.