The top five regrets of the dying
An Australia palliative nurse has recorded the most common regrets of the dying, and among the top ones is "I wish I hadn't worked so hard."
I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
I wish I hadn't worked so hard.
I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
I wish that I had let myself be happier.
In Buddhism there's a list of five reflections, which are, basically, that I'm going to get old, get sick, die, be separated from all that's dear to me, and (and here's the kicker) that I'm responsible for everything I do and for the consequences of those things. Basically this amounts to reflecting on the fact that we're going to die, so that we choose to act with that in mind. Most people, when they reflect on death, realize that what they thought was important (working harder, spending more time in the office) isn't the most important thing after all. It's delusion and anxiety that tell us these things are vital. In the long run it's integrity, joy, and love that are important.
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