If a Tree Falls in the Woods....

The old age philosophical experiment, “If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” raises questions about observation and perception. Today marks day 117 since I have set foot in my place of employment due to COVID-19. The last several months have offered a great deal of opportunity to raise my own philosophical questions about all aspects of life. Questions like what to do now that I completed my master’s degree, how are my clients and students while they feel stuck at home, what skills do I want to learn or re-learn, how does my self-care change now with “more time,” what is the difference between helping and fixing someone else’s needs, what do my dogs think about me being home all day long…..

I strongly feel there are moments in our lifetime where deep thought happens. For me, it is usually triggered by some significant moment that has happened directly or indirectly to me. Unfortunately, far too many wait until later in life for deep self reflection. There is no question that at end of life, thoughts and reflections and observation and perception occur. For some, this is very natural and for others, it is quite challenging.

As of end of life doula, having conversations with people who are reflecting on their life is just one role I can play. A common legacy project some choose to leave behind for their loved ones is a life review. These reflections can be interview form, journaling, or using any of the many books that get you to think about your life’s history.

Observation and perception have very different experiences in each of us. Three siblings can be raised in the same household and have vastly different memories of conversations around the dinner table, excursions through the woods, family trips, etc. And this is what makes legacy projects or life reviews so meaningful. They allow us to share our experience about who was meaningful in our life, what experiences are embedded in our being, where we traveled to, speaking to different time periods in our life and why any of these might hold significance to us.

Taking time to reflect on your life and echoing those thoughts and observations are a great insight to your soul. It is never too early to begin reflecting all you have lived through. I encourage you to take a moment, pause, breathe, and reflect.

be well-