Chapter 12

            “What would you do if you only had a few months left?” This is such a common question that people are asked throughout their life. I think this question is supposed to spark a change in one’s life, but I would probably do a lot of traveling, which I currently do not have to funds to do. Even though I will not change my life over this question, I do think it is very important to assess my life to make sure that I am ensuring that it is balanced and meaningful. By ensuring that I am living life to my fullest potential, I can have fewer regrets when I eventually pass away. The questions at the end of this chapter (Corey and Corey, 2008) were very helpful in identifying what I am currently doing and can add to my life to maintain and increase the quality of it. Currently, I feel like I am taking the advice the Coreys have given, but I know that as my responsibilities increase, it will not always be as easy.

            I really connected to the short section on advanced directives and a living will (Corey and Corey, 2008) because, even though I am only 25, I have thought about having both to prevent being left in a vegetative state. When I was in middle school, my grandfather had a stroke. Immediately after the stroke, he was able to communicate that he wanted to be kept alive because he had faith that the advancement of medicine would help in his recovery. He then spent over twelve years as a quadriplegic. He was unable to move any part of his body below his head, could not speak and his mental abilities continued to worsen as he grew older. He and my grandmother had saved money to travel, which was all spent on caring for him. Because my grandmother spent very little of her life without my grandfather, she was unable to make the decision to allow him to die by taking him off of all supportive technology. He eventually passed away this past November, but experiencing his slow death made me realize that I never want to live that way or have anyone give up their life to care for me.

            As school counselors, we will be an important resource for children dealing with death. Holly’s presentation allowed my group to discuss how we would help kids with loss, but it definitely made me realize that it may not be easy and that everyone grieves in their own way. Some kids may want to talk to me about it and others may not and I need to be respectful and open to the individual grieving process of my students.

Corey, G., & Corey, M.S. (2008). I never knew I had a choice: Explorations in personal

growth (9^th ed.). Belmont, California: Thompson Brooks/Cole. ISBN: 9780495602293.