Advice to the Living gives us the chance to listen to some very interesting. articulate, and educated. sooner-to-be-dead people talk about their attitudes and feelings about life. As a group they are generally rather upbeat about the issue. But I suppose when one is told that the inevitable is in fact imminent one has to become philosophical about having to leave everything . The thing is all of these folk are so bright and well spoken and kind of young, that one wonders what the old, stupid, inarticulate, or not thoughtful types think about it all.
One man says that his illness told him to, "Slow down, you move too fast, got to make the morning last." (Was I wise to take Simon's advice to heart years ago rather than have illness tell me?)
They say at the end that Advice to the Living is available as a podcast. That may be so. But I know that you can listen to the stream here through Wednesday Jan. 9th 2008.
I like these programs on Radio 4 that end with, "If you have been effected by the issues. . .".
I like to hear about these people's attitudes about death. I'm alive, therefore I am very interested in death. I think that is natural. Are there others that hardly give a thought to death? Do they just live or keep themselves super busy for distraction?
One man learned to go with the flow. He says that he is happier going with the river out to the sea rather than continuing to struggle onward and want more and swim upstream against the flow. I'm rather happy to hear the river used in a metaphor like this.
Of only we could have a follow up with some of these lovely people. Perhaps Radio 4 could somehow arrange for a post interview on the other side. . .wherever that may be. (Out at sea somewhere?)
