“On Living” by Kerry Egan

Jeff calls this column Lori’s Library Party about books of death and dying. He thinks many of these books are too sad, but these are the books that interest me. I’m over reading about early childhood education and how to raise young children with disabilities. I’m onto books about death and love. Dealing with the dying is also a job for me. At the hospice where I work, patients are cared for at their homes and in facilities by a trans-disciplinary team comprised of a doctor, team leader, nurse, home health aide, social worker, volunteer and, if desired, a spiritual support counselor. This last role fascinates me the most because although each one of them has been trained in a specific religion, they offer their assigned hospice patient secular counseling. Even when facing death, some people don’t want a visit from a spiritual counselor, while others find it essential. “On Living” by Kerry Egan is a book written by a Harvard Divinity School-educated chaplain at a different hospice than my own, but I completely connect with the stories she shares about her experiences with hospice patients. Chaplains traditionally are trained to use their skills to teach and preach, but hospice faith counselors are not really afforded the time to do that. Instead they provide support, kindness, a peaceful presence and active listening. Jeff might think that this book is depressing but I found it the complete opposite. Her patients’ end-of-life stories are fascinating and at times uplifting and positive. More often than not, people who reach the end of their lives are not scared, nor afraid, as you might think, but sometimes even peaceful and triumphant. Through these stories I am sure that Egan finds working for a hospice as rich and rewarding as I do. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.