How to say goodbye - wendy macnaughton

A poem to mortality and the beauty of how we can cope with it.

-Atul Gawande, author of Being Mortal New York Times -bestselling artist Wendy MacNaughton shares wisdom from hospice caregivers: how to be, when to help, what to say-with full-color drawings throughout.

As artist-in-residence at the Zen Hospice Project Guest House in San Francisco, Wendy MacNaughton witnessed firsthand how difficult it is to know what to do when were sharing final moments with a loved one.

In this tenderly illustrated guide to saying goodbye, MacNaughton shows how to make sure those moments are meaningful.

Using a framework of the five things taught to her by a professional caregiver, How to Say Goodbye provides a model for having conversations of love, respect, and closure: with the words I forgive you, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you, and Goodbye, each oriented toward finding mutual peace and understanding when it matters most.

With a foreword by renowned physician and author BJ Miller, and practical resources, How to Say Goodbye features MacNaughtons drawn-from-life artwork from both the Zen Hospice Project Guest House and her own aunts bedside as she died, paired with gentle advice from hospice caregivers on creating a positive sensory experience, acknowledging what you cant control, and sharing memories and gratitude.

A poignant guide to embracing the present and deepening relationships during great vulnerability, How to Say Goodbye shows that just as there is no one right way to live a good life, there is no one right way to say goodbye.

Whether were confused, scared, or uncertain, this book is a starting point.