Recently, the media has been reporting on a new phenomenon spreading across the U. S. – Death Cafes. Flyers inform us about the opportunity to enjoy great coffee or tea while engaging in conversations about our mortality. Trying to get people to think about their mortality or at least the need to think about thinking about their mortality is difficult.
The reality is that someday – regardless of how rich, famous, attractive or talented we are (or think we are) – each of us will die. It is puzzling that the certainty that each of our lives will end has not translated into embracing our mortality and thinking about how we want our lives to unfold. Death is life’s completion. Acceptance of the fleeting and fragility of our lives frequently leads to an appreciation for the time we have left, thereby freeing us to be present for each moment.
Death Cafes provide a place to discuss thoughts about the great equalizer among all people – our death and the death of those we love. Perhaps these gatherings create an opportunity for the kinds of conversations that take place between strangers on airplanes. These conversations are sometimes surprisingly personal, and often ones we’ve never had with our loved ones.
So grab your coffee mug. Go to the nearest “Death Café” Join the conversation. Then go home and communicate your thoughts and wishes about the kind of medical care you want when the time comes -to those who love you.