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    On Living
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    On Living
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    On Living
    Audiobook4 hours

    On Living

    Written by Kerry Egan

    Narrated by Kerry Egan

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A hospice chaplain passes on wisdom on giving meaning to life, from those taking leave of it.

    As a hospice chaplain, Kerry Egan didn't offer sermons or prayers, unless they were requested; in fact, she found, the dying rarely want to talk about God, at least not overtly. Instead, she discovered she'd been granted a powerful chance to witness firsthand what she calls the "spiritual work of dying"-the work of finding or making meaning of one's life, the experiences it's contained and the people who have touched it, the betrayals, wounds, unfinished business, and unrealized dreams. Instead of talking, she mainly listened: to stories of hope and regret, shame and pride, mystery and revelation and secrets held too long. Most of all, though, she listened as her patients talked about love-love for their children and partners and friends; love they didn't know how to offer; love they gave unconditionally; love they, sometimes belatedly, learned to grant themselves.

    This isn't a book about dying-it's a book about living. And Egan isn't just passively bearing witness to these stories. An emergency procedure during the birth of her first child left her physically whole but emotionally and spiritually adrift. Her work as a hospice chaplain healed her, from a brokenness she came to see we all share. Each of her patients taught her something about what matters in the end-how to find courage in the face of fear or the strength to make amends; how to be profoundly compassionate and fiercely empathetic; how to see the world in grays instead of black and white. In this hopeful, moving, and beautiful book, she passes along all their precious and necessary gifts.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateOct 25, 2016
    ISBN9781524702366
    Unavailable
    On Living

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    Reviews for On Living

    4/5

    43 ratings7 reviews

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    • 5/5
      A series of essays written by a hospice chaplain, written at the behest of those she has served. Encapsulated within are instructions for life, a warning against family secrets and other barriers to the full expression of love. Braided through the stories is the author's own life changing medical and mental health crisis which has brought her to the place where she can suspend judgment and offer compassion to those she serves.
    • 4/5
      A powerful nonfiction meditation on life written by a hospice chaplain. I didn't need to agree with every single thing the author said to enjoy this one. I loved how she gave glimpses into the lives of some of her patients, from a woman who kept her child when everyone told her to give it up, to her own meditation on her postpartum struggle, there was a lot to think about. "The things you lose do shape who you become."
    • 5/5
      An absolutely stunning book. If I ever put together a 'must read' list this will be on it - utterly humane and a beautiful antidote to our modern lifestyles (I'm not criticising anyone with that, and I include myself in that summary; just trying - poorly - to impart the nature of this book). Just 'wow'! Really grounds you in what it means to be human(e).
    • 5/5
      A book that is very introspective about life
      Well written
      Really glad my sister told me about this book
    • 3/5
      Author reads it, and I really liked her voice and presentation. Many of her stories and observations were thought provoking and touching. Probably should have know that a book by a chaplain would be too religious/spiritual for my taste :), but having experienced many deaths of loved ones I was curious about this book.
    • 5/5
      This book. Highly highly recommend. I listened to it - great audio.
    • 4/5
      A great short read of stories from a hospice chaplain. It was overly sentimental in a few places, but overall a great pallate cleanser read.