Welcome to a 3-part dive into Friends’ guidelines in making decisions about your end- of- life care and death. Have the forms to ensure your decisions are followed. Death is certain, but when it comes may be uncertain. Avoiding and minimizing death and the gradual diminishment that may precede it brings challenges to family. Our faith community is a safe place to think about your wishes and make them known to family and close friends. A form with those wishes and contact info will be proffered so your spiritual community can work with family when needed. This is for all of us above 18 at all of life’s stages.  

 Session 1: Embrace an Open-Hearted View of Change Regardless of your age, an accepting view of life’s challenges will shed worry and give you a forward-thinking approach to death. The values of integrity, peace, equality/equity, simplicity and community come to bear in decision-making about health care and the disposal of our body and possessions at life’s end. Learn about essential legal documents (health care proxy/living will, last will and testament and possibly a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) and where to file them. Reflect on what is important to you and write for your loved ones your feelings, wishes, regrets, appreciation and advice – an ethical will. This document, possibly a few pages, can be changed as life happens; nothing in it should contradict what is in the legal will.