What’s Really Important,
After All? [Bulletin
date: August 23, 2026]
After the funeral, families often need to decide what to do with their loved one’s belongings. Having personally faced this reality, I quickly learned what is truly important in life. Simply said, it is not the “stuff” we accumulate. It’s not the car we drive, the house we live in, nor the things we have.
What is
important is staying connected with family and friends, sharing stories, making
memories, and reconciling strained relationships while we still can. Now is the
time to let your family and friends know how important they are to you. But
when it is time, consider leaving a legacy of memories, photos, or stories to
share after you are gone.
In addition, do some advanced planning and discuss your end-of-life wishes with your family. This is truly a gift in advance to your loved ones; one that will help them during a very difficult time in the future. I know because I was once the recipient of such a gift.
When the time comes and someone dear has passed away, find a photo or a memento and share this with your family so that later generations will remember that person. This is the reason why the Catholic Church asks, whether cremated or not, that we memorialize our loved one with a place of rest. That way future generations know our loved one once lived, loved, and was special to us. He or she was once a “walking soul on earth.”
Remember, what
is important now is your time, your care, and your expression of love before
death. It’s too late to share these sentiments afterwards.
St. Ann Parish Nurse
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