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Friday May 9,2008

The Tunnel and The LIght

reviewed by Mark Holofcener

"Every hardship is an opportunity that you are given, an opportunity to grow. To grow is the sole purpose of existence on this planet Earth. You will not grow if you sit in a beautiful flower garden and somebody brings you gorgeous food on a silver platter. But you will grow if you are sick, if you are in pain, if you experience losses and still don't put your head in the sand, but take the pain and learn to accept it, not as a curse or a punishment, but as a gift to you with a very, very specific purpose." Excerpt from the book

This book conveys the understanding gained by Kubler-Ross of her dying patients, and encourages those in the middle of life to attend to their unfinished business, something that is of primary importance in our tasks here on earth, so that they can be wiser and happier at the end of life. Kubler-Ross is one of the foremost authorities on death and dying and shares her insights with us on terminally ill children, her views on near-death experiences, and much more.

Books from Kubler-Ross have such an impact on those of us who are trying to seek some answers, as this one can help us to better understand what it is the dying are trying to tell us, and try they do, although many of us are blind and deaf to those messages. The dying are also teachers. They are teaching us about the true nature of life and death, lessons many of us want to learn.

This book details the life of Kubler-Ross, one of the foremost authorities on death and dying, and her journey to understand the dying process and death itself. The book concludes with "A Letter to a Child with Cancer," a beautifully illustrated letter written to a young boy with Cancer who asked the simple questions, "What is life?.... What is death?..... And why do young children have to die?" If for nothing else in this book the response to those questions are worth taking a closer look at.

I especially enjoyed the sections on unfinished business as it focuses our attention on the present and what we can do to make the end of our life, more fulfilling and have less regrets, a source of much pain and suffering.

Mark is the author of Evan's Earthly Adventure. It is a father's journal written when his life was forever changed by the death of his beloved 13 year old son. The inspiration from his life and death affected eveyone who knew him. However, this is a story about life not death. It's a story about hope and passion, and dedication, and what can result from a life dedicated to achieving the highest goals. To read more about Evan's Eartlhy Adventure click here.