Today's Guest Artisit: Cynthia Imperatore - How To Deal With Anticipatory Grief

Photo F LoBuono/Words C Imperatore

Cynthia Imperatore is a special human being in so many ways. One of the most important ones is her work as an "End of Life Doula". These people are the last-line, if you will, in the Hospice program whose special skills and compassion guide the dying person AND their families in the transition from this life to whatever lies beyond. It is a most spiritual calling and she does it well. Here is her response to a question about "Anticipatory Grief".

I have experienced it myself. In some ways, it was worse than the actual, just like anticipating a good event often outweighs our experience of the event itself. They are different terrains, or variations. Like climbing a mountain... As you look at the ascent before you, you wonder if you have the stamina, the strength to accomplish it. You may want to turn back. But once you start on the trail—though there are more difficult portions (of mountain or grief) that have you quail—you find that step by step or day by day, you can do it... This is the power of being present to what is, being present to the moment.