End of Life

Sarah Dodgson reflects on ‘ministry to the soul’

'For me, the ministry to the soul does not always mean keeping it alive in this world.' | Photo: Zach Dischner / flickr CC.

A friend from childhood lies in a coma having come off a bike – a silly accident that reminds us that ‘in the midst of life we are in death’. But now our circle of friends is divided: to turn him off or not…?

It sounds callous, but that is how we are, joking to hide the pain. What would he want? Few people write Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders in their forties – except, perhaps, people who are very depressed; so, of course, we don’t talk about it at dinner parties.

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