The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments

by Hadley Vlahos

My world got very small.

One of the more stunning and beautiful things I’ve witnessed as a hospice nurse is the way in which people choose their time of death.

I loved my job, and the truth is that, despite the death I witnessed and the emotions that came with it, working in hospice made me feel more alive than I ever had before.

I have cared for enough end-of-life patients with varying religious backgrounds to believe that how you live your life is more important than what you believe in. I’ve seen many people live wonderful, fulfilling lives, both with religion and without. I don’t think one way is better than the other. What I do think is important, though, is finding inner peace and happiness—whatever that means for you.

In my experience, the people who are happiest at the end of their life are those who have achieved a sense of peace in regard to how they’ve lived, and who are comfortable in their belief about what comes next.