Retirement: It Always Ends in Death, So Let's Talk About It!નમૂનો

5. My Own Real-Life Examples

My wife’s mother died slowly. From the time my wife was a pre-teen, her mother was in and out of hospitals with one diagnosis after another. First, it was tuberculosis, then other illnesses, and finally cancer. For much of her final years, my wife’s mom was more a patient than a parent. My wife carried much of the household responsibility on the farm from an early age. While my wife’s faith remained, her hope in miracles was shaken.

Other times, a person reaches peace and asks God to bring their life to a close. That’s what happened with my mother. After a long decline, she asked my wife and me to pray that she would die quickly and peacefully. She had made peace. There was no fear. My father nodded in agreement, and we prayed. The next day, Mom passed quietly beside her bed. Her request had been answered and remains one of the clearest examples I’ve seen of answered prayer and faithful surrender.

I’ve also witnessed sudden death. My father had gone to the hospital for a routine test and was resting afterward. While taking a nap, he died in his sleep – likely from a blood clot or aneurysm. This was years after my mother’s passing. By then, he had become more relaxed, engaged, and joyful in family life. He was enjoying his grandchildren. His sudden death caught us all by surprise, but we were at peace. He had lived well and was ready. His work was done.

Not every death fits a clean category. My father-in-law experienced what we might call a hybrid death. Remarried after losing his first wife, his final years were marked by exhaustion and sadness. After breaking his hip, he told me he’d rather stay in the hospital than go home. My wife and I sensed his readiness to move on. But others weren’t so ready, including the other children who kept in prayer for his recovery. His second wife even took action, having a pacemaker implanted without consulting the family, hoping to prolong his life – largely for financial reasons. Although the family was divided, my wife and I were grateful. He had finally entered into that eternal rest which he so much desired.

Every one of these stories taught the same thing: death is deeply personal, often unpredictable, and not something to postpone thinking about. It must be faced honestly. And it must be faced with faith.

Take Time to Reflect

1. Which of these types of death have you witnessed personally? How did they impact your view of dying well?
2. Is there someone in your life right now who may be nearing the end and needs you to notice and respond with wisdom?
3. If your life were to end in the next year, what would you want your family to know – and have you told them?