Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

All is uncertain, and we end in death, yet our many distractions have kept us from this knowledge pretty well. With the veil removed, many people are panicked and feeling untethered. I understand this. I have compassion for people feeling the rug has been pulled out from under them. I am speaking of Covid, but this feeling is equally true for those of us growing older and facing tests, examination of our bodies more frequently, and having friends with illnesses and disabilities they did not face, and somehow had thought they would be exceptions to old age, disease and death. My husband is struggling right now with a new medication, which makes him turn and face his age and mortality. He's actually fortunate there is medicine and he will adjust and do well, but having never wanted to discuss downsizing, changing our habits, or our future needs, he's shocked and upset. Turning away works, for some period of time for some people, but he has not considered that our friends' illnesses and deaths might suggest that our vulnerability is becoming greater and it might be a good idea to have some plans in place. But he won't discuss it. His family is long lived and was relativeely healthy until shortly before they died. I've not had that luxury, as my parents and other family members died younger than I am now. I've had to take care of their estates, and face hard decisions. I don't want to push my husband, especially as he's scared and has no family history of honest talking and planning for the inevitable. He has my sympathy, and I am more than ever grateful that Buddhism has trained me to to look at what I fear and not run from it.