You might know how to live, but do you know how to die? Could death be our most precious wealth?

[custom_script adID=149]

Huh? What? You are kidding, right?

No, I am NOT. The answer is definitely a YES! Let me explain. Death is too often considered as a taboo, something that we don’t want to talk about or don’t even want to think about until we are dying or facing death, an attitude, which I consider to be a shame.

Here are some reasons why we might not want to talk, or think about our final journey on planet Earth.

  • Some are afraid that taking care of their final journey might result in them having to “dust” their life. They are scared that they may find under the rug some unfinished business they don’t want to address.
  • Some simply don’t want to die! But do you personally know anyone who never left his or her physical body?
  • Some think they are too young to think about that! Buzzer!!! Wrong answer! Do you know for sure if you will still be here in an hour’s time? I don’t. I do know a few stories of people dying “too” soon.
  • Facing this subject is scary because it can oblige us to look at our life, our past actions and what we are leaving behind as a result.

    • [custom_script adID=155]

  • Others will push away the thought by saying that they don’t fear death, meaning they do not have to talk or think about their own death.
  • We have too much fun in life and to see it end is unthinkable!
  • Having cancer can happen to someone else but not to me. Um…hink twice!
  • For some being sick and alone is the only way to think about the end of life. Who wants to be sick? Miserable? … Nobody, but to avoid the subject, might also be a good excuse to circumvent taking care of the body while we are still alive.

Of course, I am not saying that everybody thinks that way, but you may find some truth in these observations. Thinking about this might be a good idea.

After reading a very good article that I found on the Internet from a doctor talking about dying with dignity, I received many messages asking me questions about this phase of life and asking me to share my thoughts about death.

My passion as a facilitator is to get people to discover what could bring them inner peace. Assisting them in this phase was therefore also logical in leading me to write this article.

Furthermore, taking care of this part of my life also meant to care of my family, friends, myself and others, and not leaving behind things that I should have taken care of before dying, causing people unnecessary suffering.

Here are some advantages taking care of this matter before facing death:

  • It is an opportunity to grow.
  • An opportunity to help others to live throughout this phase peacefully through your experience.
  • To address unfinished business.
  • To use death as our most precious asset to live purposefully (*).
  • To get rid of things that we don’t need anymore.
  • To put order in our life.
  • To decide to whom we want to give our material belongings.
  • For the executor of our will to easily find what he, or she needs to do.
  • To find motivation to take care of our physical body to die healthily for the sake of others even if we feel “tired”.
  • The opportunity to create a “bucket list” before we die.
  • For our last wills to be respected by whoever will find our lifeless body.

[custom_script adID=151]

Since we are in constant evolution, to prepare for the end of our life is obviously a process and therefore changes may occur along the way. It is important, then, to revise our will, intentions and documents once a year to see if they still are relevant to our current situation and transformation.

Let’s face it; the end of our earthly life is inevitable. Why not take care of this phase now and make the most of our life by discovering more of who we are.

How I did come to address this phase of my life? At first it was from fear of being put on a life-support machine if ever an accident occurred while I was in Costa Rica. I feared about the fact that my documents were not written in Spanish and were only done in French in Canada in 1992.

I realized I needed to do this in Spanish as well. A few years after this and after experiencing health and emotional challenges in my life, I thought that dying now would not be a good idea as I would leave a mess behind me.

In this intense phase of my life, I actually began to address any unfinished business that I had. In addition, I made myself realize that there were still many things that I wanted to do. I wanted to leave with lots of love and no regrets whatsoever.

I finally gave my full attention to the how I wanted for the end of my life to look like after. I was hurt in a road accident in 2006. Two years after that I prepared:

  • An updated will to put in order my finances and clear my debts,
  • A list of clear instructions for my trustees, where to find what, preparing a revised set of legal documents in case of incapacity to communicate.

During this time, I revised the old documents and chose a different person to take care of my latest will as the last person to take care of it was not living in Costa Rica. I was not totally satisfied since I didn’t want my friends or family members to have to deal with the corpse. I also did not want my body to just be cremated.

I wanted to be buried at the base of a tree in a forest, but this is not legally possible :).

Gee, after all the work done I wanted it to serve something or serve someone! I knew eventually though that I would find a solution to my problem and after a little while, I found it.

I read on one of the many informative websites on Costa Rica that you can give your body to medical University, the Universidad de Ciencias Médicas – UCIMED in San José for students to learn more about how they can save lives. Once this process done, (quite easily I might add) I sent the following message to the executor of my will, as well as friends living in Costa Rica.

[custom_script adID=150]

“The idea is that once the lifeless body is found, it needs to be taken over by UCIMED as soon as possible (first 5 hours after death). They take care of transportation at no charge. Should the death happen at the hospital, the hospital has the right to take any of my organs that potentially may save lives. The remains of the body will be sent to UCIMED, again, at no cost to the family.

The problem is that someone has to inform UCIMED as soon as possible after death. So I carry on me the document you see below in my wallet for this purpose. It is called the carnet del donador.

Here is the number to call in case of death: 506-2549-0000 ext. 1119 or 1135 for the “Ciencias morfológicas” department. This can only take place if I die on the Costa Rican territory.”

Note: This is the back of the document as the front includes your personal id information as well as your photo that you will choose to put there.

Having many people know about this particular way of dealing with the body was important because of the reason I explain below and this is why I encourage you to do the same if it is the path you will choose to take.

Reason.

This post would not be complete without talking about the specific way I see death as being my greatest wealth*. This is something that I have learned many years ago and something that I never forget – seeing death that way really changed my vision of how to live purposefully, and now how to prepare to leave my physical body.

Death is my teacher and advisor. I don’t know when it will knock at my door to teach me the last lesson. This encourages me to be, give, act and behave to the best of my knowledge at the present moment. Do I do this ALL the time? Of course not, I am still a human being :)!

However, I keep trying to have this goal in mind. I also developed different strategies to help me follow my path. I constantly invent ways to keep myself joyful, alive and energetic, especially when a difficulty arises, as there is always a solution to continue to do good and to love even more.

One of them is to carry in my purse the following amulets which I chose to be a representation of death and life. It is a gift from a dearest friend, used as a reminder that life is a journey that can end at any time.

[custom_script adID=153]

There is no time to be upset, uncaring, unprepared, judgmental, or ungrateful. Each time I am searching my purse for whatever I need to find (which happen often :)), I will very often notice the amulet and it reminds me that death could be at the corner. The green stone is a reminder to ask myself this question: Does this path have a heart?

And now, a new strategy I have to keep my body in shape regardless of the difficulties, including laziness and having those feelings of being
“too old” is to know that my physical body needs to be in shape to serve others; even after its death.

In other words, to keep going, bouncing, dancing, running, loving, playing in the water, etc.

But don’t stop moving!

I am asking you now… do you know how you want the end of your life to be? Now is the time to address this matter. I must add though that people living in Costa Rica definitely have an advantage. Why? Because we have access to great resources like fresh fruits and vegetables, good health care providers, a more relaxed lifestyle, great weather and lovely people!

Life is a great experience, and the end of your life can be too. This is your choice. I can honestly say that I love my life! For the next time, move, dance and take care of yourself and of your loved ones by preparing the end of your life so you can bow out gracefully!

[custom_script adID=97]



Written by VIP Member Monique Chabot.

Monique Chabot, Facilitator (Coach)

Stress Management & Personal Growth to Inner Peace

Mobile: (506) 8886-6984 / Phone: (506) 2203-3038

MoniqueChabot.com

Facebook Life Journey Center

Article ID Number 4440

Are you into beautiful Costa Rica?

All interesting things you want to know about Costa Rica are right here in our newsletter! Enter your email and press "subscribe" button.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *