WILL TO LIVE

My experiences with the seriously ill convince me that the will to live, or its surrender, can affect the number of our days and breaths. Not every time or for everyone, but clearly for some. This is less profound in the era of modern medicine because medical interventions can play such a dramatically determinant role. However, the effect of the will is, nonetheless, real and deserves attention and respect. Murray Trelease puts it well: "It is not that human will changes reality, but that it is a part of the reality of life and needs to be reckoned with.” The intuition of the terminally ill needs to be cultivated, recognized, honored and empowered.