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Here are a few core principles for both living well and dying well, quoted from Weekly Words of Wellness (Living Compass) by the Rev. Dr. Scott Stoner:
Make peace today with anyone you have hurt or who has hurt you. Life is too short to hold grudges. Forgive freely.
Forgive yourself. Let go of mistakes and regrets. Be at peace with yourself.
Never try to do the journey of living or dying alone. Surround yourself with the love of friends and family, and be a friend to others on their journeys through life and death.
Keep your sense of humor and resist the urge to take yourself too seriously.
In the words of Psalm 46, "Be still and know that I am God." Tend your spiritual life so that it is there as a foundation for peace and strength for you when you need it most.
From the Prayer of St. Francis: "It is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life."
The diocesan Commission on Affirmative Aging wishes you well as you seek to employ these principles. Remember that no matter what your age, you are an older person because you’re older now than you were a moment ago. Hug an older person today! Please contact us with your questions or concerns about the aging process.
The Rev. Marie Butterbaugh, St. John's Episcopal Church, Pensacola (850) 206-7750, td17003@aol.com)