After being present at so many deaths, I’ve come to believe that we die the way we’ve lived. Our personality doesn’t change because we’re dying. Dying is the last part of living, and how we approach it often mirrors how we’ve met other challenges in life. I don’t know for sure what the person dying is experiencing, but I believe it’s like a dream — vague, gentle, and beyond our full understanding.
Barbara, What do you believe the person dying is experiencing as they approach death?
I do not know for sure since I have yet to experience approaching death, but here is what I have come to believe from the many deaths I have been present for.
I believe we die the way we have lived and we die according to our personality. Just because we are dying doesn’t mean we change how we deal with living. Dying is just the last part of living, so we will face it in the same way we have approached other life challenges.
A doer, the “get things done NOW” personality will have their DNR, advance directives, living will, and durable medical power of attorney completed and shared with their special people. They may even die more quickly, their labor shorter.
A personality that expresses anger easily will be hostile, unsettled, often lashing out at others. A shy, introvert will go even deeper within, become quieter, and share less of their inner world with others.
We are who we are, and just because we are dying doesn’t mean we change. Our personality traits actually become more intense.
Click here to read the full story: https://bkbooks.com/blogs/something-to-think-about/we-die-as-we-ve-lived-the-personality-of-dying