17 Comments
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Liz Scott's avatar

Completely and totally love and agree...i'd love to see if we could connect...my substack is about death as is my book which will be out in april...Wanna connect? https://lizscottpdx.substack.com/

Harriett Seager's avatar

Would love to read it! I’ve subscribed to you.

Kitty Morse's avatar

Spot on

Thank you

I approaching 79

Which doesnt bother

Very active but I talk about death plans and burial choices w friends not on morbid level but to get ready

The sadness comes from so much left to do and see

Shrinking time ahead

I cant waste it

The remaining future is shorter but still sunny!

Maura McInerney-Rowley's avatar

Kitty, glad to hear you are having those types of conversations! And that you have such an appreciation for life. I hope you get to see and do many things that bring you joy this year!

Kitty Morse's avatar

Planning them! Work and play!

Thank you...

Harriett Seager's avatar

That’s a lovely perspective ❤️

Istahil Ishmail's avatar

“To lose is to win — and to win is to lose, again and again.”

— The Art of Dying

Late-night thinking brought me here.

What does this mean to you?

Like, share, comment 🫶🏾

Thank you for the support 🥺❤️

https://izzyisdoingfine.substack.com/p/to-master-defeat-is-to-master-the?utm_source=direct&r=77ip85&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer

Harriett Seager's avatar

I have existential OCD so it’s often not far from my mind. When I’m a bad patch, I get very low in mood thinking that life is finite.

Maura McInerney-Rowley's avatar

Harriett, thank you for sharing. I'm sorry, that sounds challenging.

When those low moods hit, is there anything that’s helped you shift out of that space?

Harriett Seager's avatar

Well it’s good to know that for the most part, other people don’t have this issue so framing it through the lens that I have a condition helps in itself. I use CBT and medication but sometimes things need tweaking and I may need to do more exposures or engaging in life. It’s important to tick all the wellbeing boxes as well. On the bright side, it helps me bring additional compassion to the therapy room and understanding of other people’s nuances. I think what you’re doing is helpful though. They’re important conversations to have. What surprises me is that you seem so young to have started this newsletter?! What got you started?

Sally's avatar

I’ve been so curious about the different A Year To Live programs, would love to hear how your experience goes.

Maura McInerney-Rowley's avatar

Me too! Maybe I'll write about it.

Pages By The Sea's avatar

Do yourself a favor by reading this or rereading this - but more importantly, acting on it. It’s the best gift you can give yourself.

Capitan Kitty's avatar

It’s simply not true that only in the west is death viewed morbidly. Look and you’ll find it across cultures. The west has also had healthy contemplative practices of memento mori throughout its existence. What has changed in the period of late capitalism is an alienation of the sense of life’s value (viewed exclusively as homo economicus) from its end (which is seen as empty of value). Death as alien to life is magnified enormously by this capitalist alienation. It’s NOT a Western phenomenon, but a late capitalist development.

heydave56's avatar

Morbid connotation is a stigma associated with death awareness that is just plainly misplaced.

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Jan 11
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Carolyn Gregoire's avatar

This is so, so true. Beautifully said!

Maura McInerney-Rowley's avatar

Same! Years after my mom died, the shift hit me hard, but in a good way.