I have been visiting a Hospice in Los Angeles for over 6 months now. If you don’t know what a hospice is…well here is a little summary:

Hospice: a type of  care and philosophy of care that focuses on relieving the pain and suffering from Terminally ill patients.

This means that every patient in a hospice is dying. They have decided to stop the “fight”, if you will, and go gently into that dark night. The hospice provides that without the agonizing pain that most illnesses and diseases cause.

If you have never been to a hospice, go! It will change your perspective on a lot of different subjects; the main one pertaining to death.

What a scary subject, death. No one talks about it and it IS the one and only thing we all have to look forward to. Nothing can stop it. It will happen.

The hospice has definitely changed my view of death. Actually, I never even truly thought of my death before.

The woman I have been visiting there is a fireball! She is one of the most amazing ladies I have met.

She has a fatal disease that is eating at her memory. It is terrible to see. She, however, is still incredibly funny and makes the most epic faces that would have contortionists befuddled.

This woman has taught me that the most important thing in life is love. That when you find it, you cherish it! She loves her children and family. She talks about them all the time.

What she doesn’t talk about is her years of suffering through war, money, and the worrisome chores and obstacles that tend to get in everyone’s way when we are younger. There is no talk of gossip or drama. No one harps on hurt feelings. All anyone talks about is the love of their lives and their immense longing to see their children.

I am fairly young, and to see this every week keeps me in check with where I am putting my focus. Especially when I am stuck on the 405 traffic.

I believe everyone should step inside a hospice, and see what really matters in life before you yourself are a patient.

I promise it will change your life, so the sooner the better.