David Kessler, one of the most renowned experts on death and grief,
takes on three uniquely shared experiences that challenge our ability to
explain and fully understand the mystery of our final days. The first is
visions. As the dying lose sight of this world, some people appear to be
looking into the world to come. The second shared experience is getting
ready for a trip. The phenomenon of preparing oneself for a journey
isn't new or unusual. In fact, during our loved ones' last hours, they
may often think of their impending death as a transition or journey.
These trips may seem to us to be all about leaving, but for the dying,
they may be more about arriving. Finally, the third phenomenon is
crowded rooms. The dying often talk about seeing a room full of people,
as they constantly repeat the word crowded. In truth, we never die
alone. Just as loving hands greeted us when we were born, so will loving
arms embrace us when we die. In the tapestry of life and death, we may
begin to see connections to the past that we missed in life. While death
may look like a loss to the living, the last hours of a dying person may
be filled with fullness rather than emptiness. In this fascinating book,
which includes a new Afterword, Kessler brings us stunning stories from
the bedsides of the dying that will educate, enlighten, and comfort us
all.
