No one should die alone, unless of course they want to. And yes, some people want to. As a death companion in the No One Dies Alone program I’ve been told to leave the room by a dying patient, even though I was their only visitor. I honored their wishes. We don’t always know what…
According to Merriam Webster, a legacy is a gift by will, especially of money or other personal property. I was taught to believe that leaving a legacy after one’s death means passing on accumulated financial wealth. As I studied to become a death doula and came to understand through my own lived experience what preparing for and grappling with death can really mean, I learned another definition of a legacy, the passing on of stories, wisdom, and memories.