Love, life, death, whatever.

I had originally started this piece in March this year (2021). Three months later it is time to finish and publish. The delay? Coming to terms with my professional life in nursing and the after effects of the pandemic. The stories associated with our experiences will need space to be told, and this is another part of my journey.

The three reads…. I’ve been fortunate to recently receive 3 books that in some way cover life, death, love, and some of the whatever’s that come along with these themes.

Loves and life get great coverage in Michael Rosen’s Many Different Kinds of Love.

A memoir of his experience of Covid-19, nearly dying and recovery includes his poetry and the remarkable diary entries of those who cared for him when he was in ITU. What was effecting is the insight he gives to being the person in need of care.

His poetry forms a large part of the narrative. These poems will be useful to reflect the perspective of being reliant for the intensive care that the very sickest of us will experience.

That care was delivered to many in the Covid-19 pandemic, though many did not survive.

One of those to die was a friend of mine from school days, and the writing in Michael’s book helped me understand the efforts that were made to care for them even though that did not end happily.

Dying and death have bigger parts in Erica Buist’s This Party’s Dead. A crowdfunded book, I liked the idea and ended up with biscotti to enjoy.

Following the death of her father in law Erica had to find ways to understand her reaction to the grief that unexpectedly consumed her. The resulting book comes from her subsequent visits to seven death festivals around the globe. This is an uplifting tale of her journeys and discovering how the dead loved ones are cared for and revered. Certainly an eye opener, it makes me wonder how we can be less uptight about death and dying in the UK.

So we come to We all know how this ends.

Anna Lyons and Louise Winter have pulled together a remarkable collection of information and shared experiences. Many of these are the experiences of others who have generously allowed the retelling. Taking from their inspired ‘five things’ and the ‘Life, Death, Whatever’ events the book adds up to be a powerful instrument for those thinking and planning about the future and the way our lives might end and be celebrated. The challenge to the conventional funeral model is where we can find much to inspire. Helping too as life ends, the work of end of life doulas reminds that often it is the overlooked details of living that need tending until our last breath.

These are books that have contents to treasure and will repay re-reading. I admire the candid nature of sharing by the authors and their contributors. COVID-19 or not, our lives will end. How we are remembered, and how we can choose to influence that are part of the work of each of our lives, whatever.