Over the weekend I had the privilege* of listening to Krista Tippett’s On Being interview with Atul Gawande.
I have been aware of Atul’s pioneering work as a physician for some time and know that he thinks deeply and connects profoundly with people. He is also amazingly focused. Extraordinarily so, given that he is something of a modern-day polymath.
The core of the conversation was on ‘what matters in the end’. In particular, the transforming power of the question ‘what does a good day look like?’ for both terminally-ill and healthy people.
This is opening up a profoundly different way of walking through the last stages of life. With remarkable results, not just for the person themselves, but also for those around them.
But why wait before asking the question ‘what does a good day look like?’
I suspect it would transform our lives now and enable us to be more present to ourselves and each other. Wherever we are and whatever we’re doing.
Have a good day.
*I say privilege because although this was on a publicly available podcast, Atul’s openness and the fact that Krista and the On Being team had made it was a gift. As is the technology that enables me to listen to it so easily on my phone… while sorting alpaca fleece!