Terminal

Words have multiple meanings, varied impact depending on those meanings. We once spoke of working at a computer terminal, and we sometimes refer to the airport as a terminal. The word has some sinister connotations, of course, as when the test report comes back and the doctor says, "Terminal."

I've just read a booklet written by a chaplain colleague, Rev. Jerry Scott, which shares some of his insights from a quarter of a century of interacting with the terminally ill. The main idea he conveys is that even though the person may be very weak, he or she is "not dead yet." It's important for loved ones and caregivers to remember that. The ill person needs to be included in conversation, not "talked about." The person may have unfinished business to resolve, or may wish to impart wisdom from the perspective of dying, or may simply need to be let go in a loving manner. Sometimes the terminally ill person, when able, wants to do things that have been put off for too long. He or she may recognize that they've been preoccupied with making a living rather than really living.

The Jesus follower -- whether we are the one ill or the one caring for the ill -- can be a witness for peace, wholeness and fulfillment in these circumstances. Life can be seen as not only worthwhile, but a sacred gift to be cherished, a gift that can abide in the Presence of our loving Lord forever. Family members and friends need this unassuming but courageous witness, when the diagnosis is terminal.