Question 24:  Are you ready to die now?  If yes, explain.  
If no, what preparations (practical, interpersonal, spiritual)
would make you more ready to die?
What projects do you wish to complete before you die?

     Writing your Advance Directive for Medical Care
is one important step in preparing for your death.
Now that you have nearly completed this project,
you can add it to the other preparations you need to make,
such as writing a last will and testament—an estate will—
or you can create a revokable living trust
that will provide for the distribution of your property after your death.

     And there might be some interpersonal matters
that need your attention before you die.
Sometimes 'unfinished business' makes the last months difficult.
What preparations have you made
that will enable you to take death in stride?
Other people in your life might not be ready for you to die.
What can be done to make others more comfortable with your death?
Much of this interpersonal end-of-life discussion
will be too personal and emotional
to be included in your Advance Directive.
But you might find it meaningful to make some final statement
that those who loved you will be able to honor after your death.

     Altho you need not put it all into your Advance Directive,
you can use this opportunity to note to yourself
the things that you want to complete before you die.
If you have only a little time left,
you should begin with the most important of these tasks.
But if you have a longer time, you can even begin new projects,
goals that you could not accomplish if you had only a few months left.

     If you feel that you have neglected your spiritual life,
then you can begin to fill that gap,
getting yourself spiritually ready for death.
And even if you believe you have a long time yet to live,
thinking about what you want to do before you die
can help you to focus on these most important things first,
instead of leaving them until last,
which might mean that you will never address them
because you will run out of time.

QUESTION 24:            READINESS FOR DEATH              by JAMES PARK               181

  The selection above is the whole Question 24 from the book:
Your Last Year: Creating Your Own Advance Directive for Medical Care.
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If you would like to see one person's Answer to this Question,
go to James Park's Advance Directive for Medical Care.
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