When death or dying comes calling at the door, like a bracing wind it clears our being of pettiness. It connects us to others. More alert to life’s fragility, we reawaken to life’s preciousness. To be fully human is to care, and attending to death prompts the most eloquent form of caring imaginable. — Forrest Church

This workshop invites participants to go a little deeper in finding their personal views of death and dying as they explore firsthand stories of people facing their own or loved ones’ deaths—a Unitarian Universalist minister, a writer, a television show producer, and a professor. Participants consider their awareness of their mortality and share stories of objects that represent what they would like to pass on when they die.

Send a reminder to participants two or three days ahead of the workshop and include information about preparation from Workshop 1, Handout 2, Looking Ahead to Workshop 2.

Goals

This workshop will:

• Provide a process for examining personal feelings about one's own death and dying in a safe and comfortable environment
• Invite participants to consider their own mortality and what legacy they would like to leave for others.

Learning Objectives

Participants will:

• Explore stories of people facing their own or loved ones’ deaths
• Reflect on their own mortality and what makes a good death
• Share stories of objects that represent what they would like to pass on when they die.