Ben died this week. It was a glorious day.
You may recall previous Aging blogs blogs about Ben and his wife, Ann. He entered a caring hospice program months ago. Ben chose to spend his last days at his home, chuck full of happy memories, in Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania, with Ann. His three children visited often and relived magical moments of the previous decades. Friends stopped by, called and zoomed in to reminisce about the moments that make up a lifetime. Laughter was abundant. A few tears fell.
Ben had a strong belief in a loving God. He wasn’t sure of the highlights of his next destination, but he felt no fear. He was ready to depart. Throughout his life, he had earned a first class ticket.
Ann is my sister. I’m so proud of her. Ben and Ann affirmed in my mind that dying can be a magnificent art, created from a palette with hues of love, humility and kindness.
Thank you both for teaching me how to live my years to come. I’ve always been a sucker for a happy ending.
P.S. I used the middle names of my sister and brother-in-law in previous blog posts to offer them privacy. Ann is my sister Connie, and Ben is her husband, Bill. They both were pleased to share their personal experiences in the hope it might be helpful to you in years to come. I so appreciated their openness and honesty.