On Living prompts reflection
by eapearce
During her time as a hospice chaplain, Kerry Egan did more listening than talking and surprisingly, rarely offered prayers or sermons to those taking leave of this world, unless they were specifically requested (“There's no time to preach or teach," says Egan. "You have to use whatever tools that person already has in their spiritual toolbox to help them come to meaning in their lives."). In her new book, On Living, Egan shares with readers some of the amazing stories that she heard from those finding or making meaning of their life during their final days and hours. She listened as patients shared hope, regret, shame, pride, mystery and revelation.
Patients told her about betrayals, unfinished business, secrets left unshared, great achievements, and heartbreak. But the overarching feeling that she took away from her time at patients’ bedsides was that of love: for children and partners, for friends, for hobbies, love that people gave unconditionally or had but didn’t know how to give at all. In an interview with Terry Gross, Egan said, “I [was] constantly reminded of how much love people have for each other, and the love that’s all around us that we just don’t necessarily take a moment to see.” In the beautiful On Living, Egan offers readers the chance to analyze what is truly important in life through hearing what others have been through, and allows us to use their wisdom to make the most of our own still-transforming lives.
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