19 February 2015

from a wonderful man

Over the last few days, I have been able to see my life as from a great altitude, as a sort of landscape, and with a deepening sense of the connection of all its parts. This does not mean I am finished with life.
On the contrary, I feel intensely alive, and I want and hope in the time that remains to deepen my friendships, to say farewell to those I love, to write more, to travel if I have the strength, to achieve new levels of understanding and insight.
Oliver Sacks on learning he has terminal cancer

5 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

Oh no! I did not know he had terminal cancer.
But- I would expect him to say just that, what he said, about his time remaining. He IS a wonderful man.
Bless.

am said...

"I rejoice when I meet gifted young people — even the one who biopsied and diagnosed my metastases. I feel the future is in good hands."

So many beautiful examples of detachment with love in what Oliver Sacks wrote.

Thank you for this today.

Anonymous said...

I loved this essay. Such a good man. I just printed out the whole thing to send to my mom. I think she'll appreciate the perspective. She's going to be 90 on her next birthday and just finished reading Atul Gawande's Being Mortal. I like how she is embracing life.

beth coyote said...

Yes.

Jenny Woolf said...

Oh my goodness I did not realise he had terminal cancer. A wise quote.