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On Living
On Living | Kerry Egan
A hospice chaplain passes on wisdom on giving meaning to life, from those taking leave of it. As a hospice chaplain, Kerry Egan didn t offer sermons or prayers, unless they were requested; in fact, she found, the dying rarely want to talk about God, at least not overtly. Instead, she discovered she d been granted an invaluable chance to witness firsthand what she calls the spiritual work of dying the work of finding or making meaning of one s life, the experiences it s contained and the people who have touched it, the betrayals, wounds, unfinished business, and unrealized dreams. Instead of talking, she mainly listened: to stories of hope and regret, shame and pride, mystery and revelation and secrets held too long. Most of all, though, she listened as her patients talked about love love for their children and partners and friends; love they didn t know how to offer; love they gave unconditionally; love they, sometimes belatedly, learned to grant themselves. This isn t a book about dying it s a book about living. And Egan isn t just passively bearing witness to these stories. An emergency procedure during the birth of her first child left her physically whole but emotionally and spiritually adrift. Her work as a hospice chaplain healed her, from a brokenness she came to see we all share. Each of her patients taught her something how to find courage in the face of fear or the strength to make amends; how to be profoundly compassionate and fiercely empathetic; how to see the world in grays instead of black and white. In this poignant, moving, and beautiful book, she passes along all their precious and necessary gifts."
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CuriousG
On Living | Kerry Egan
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30 book recommendations in 30 days...

Day 27: Another profoundly meaningful book, based on the author's experiences working within a hospice environment. #30recsin30days

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful photo 💚 1y
CuriousG @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks thank you! I thought the way the light came in the window suited the book well 😊 1y
19 likes2 comments
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liamj
On Living | Kerry Egan
Pickpick

Probably gonna read it every year.

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DrSabrinaMoldenReads
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

It‘s incredible how I have been finding the best books for me. As a geropsychologist in nursing homes, Kerry, a hospice chaplain, and I do the same work. Nothing to boast about, we must face difficult issues daily with our patients and with ourselves. In Kerry, I found a kindred spirit and a mentor. I know that I am not alone in my practices and beliefs and I learned a lot more about life in the midst of learning about about death. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

31 likes1 stack add2 comments
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CuriousG
On Living | Kerry Egan
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"Keeping a secret is like fertilizing a weed, and the family secrets that fertilize shame choke out love before it can even grow...Shame is the enemy of love; it can never serve it"

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CuriousG
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

"It's a beautiful life and then you leave it...such beauty and such loss coincide in every life, in every soul, in every memory"

Egan is a hospice chaplain and her experiences are too achingly beautiful to describe, it simply must be read to do it justice.

Another picture of a beautiful memorial tree - this one was planted over 5 years ago, for my oldest brother ?

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CuriousG
On Living | Kerry Egan
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This has been both an amazing book and a really hard one for me to consistently pick up. Having experienced more loss and trauma in the last 10 years than many people do in a lifetime, getting in the headspace to read about palliative persons is tough. But I hope to finish it today & have been grateful for every tear along the way. This tree was planted this past summer as a tribute to someone I love dearly #foreverfamily

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CuriousG
On Living | Kerry Egan
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CuriousG
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Trying to soak in the wisdom that comes from tough circumstances on World Premature Day - sometimes hard to make sense of things but finding the right book helps.
My nephew Owen was born at 29 weeks with a tumour on his heart. He spent 109 days with his parents on earth; Tuesday will be 3 years since he gained his wings 💙 If you can, light a candle for all the babies that are gone & those that survived the difficult fight. #worldprematureday

readingjedi 😢 6y
CouronneDhiver 😘💔 6y
14 likes2 comments
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CuriousG
On Living | Kerry Egan
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"...while my experiences might be unique to me, the pain was quite ordinary, and I was not alone in it."

"There's power in the stories of their lives and the meanings they found in them...That power isn't just for those who are dying. It's for anyone who wants to listen."

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CuriousG
On Living | Kerry Egan
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"I don't know if listening to other people's life stories as they die can make you wise, but I do know that it can heal your soul."

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RinaBrahmbhattBarot
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

On my #Kindle tonight, this weekend and most likely to be the last book in #January
What are you reading?

minkyb Just started 7y
RinaBrahmbhattBarot @minkyb I've heard great things about this book 7y
minkyb Now I just need time to read it! 😅 7y
52 likes3 comments
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ErikasMindfulShelf
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Favorites of 2017
I gave all these books 4.5 🌟

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intothehallofbooks
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

Recent #bookmail that I shelved for awhile because of my Dad‘s health and his eventual need for care from hospice. I‘ve since started it and read it slowly; truly it was like a giant hug. I‘d like to imagine that these stories shared by the author are some that my Dad would share if he could speak.

I personally cried a lot and obviously marked many passages. For a less emotional person, it‘d most likely be more heartwarming and hopeful than sad.

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BethFishReads
On Living | Kerry Egan
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I had a good graphic for today‘s roundup but forgot to download it to my phone. My current view is this. Anyway, 9 outstanding nonfiction picks to read right now. Book suggestions & descriptions on my blog http://www.bethfishreads.com/2017/10/9-nonfiction-books-to-read-right-now.html?m...

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BookishMarginalia
On Living | Kerry Egan
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"...I was like everyone else, and that while my experiences might be unique to me, the pain was quite ordinary, and I was not alone in it..." #truth

121 likes1 stack add
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BookishMarginalia
On Living | Kerry Egan
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A hospice chaplain writes of the stories about living entrusted to her by those close to death, and the grace that comes from sharing the end of a life. (And isn't the cover lovely?)

ErikasMindfulShelf Loved it 💕💕 7y
bio_chem06 @BookishMarginalia This book was so great. I read it in one sitting. 7y
RobinGustafson Also loved this book! 7y
DrSabrinaMoldenReads Litsy is the Bomb! I really need to read this book! Thanks! 7y
123 likes12 stack adds4 comments
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Lindy
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

Egan shares stories about some of the people she met while working as a hospice chaplain. If you are grieving or facing loss, this #audiobook narrated by the author may comfort you. Life is beautiful and then we die.

JoeStalksBeck Come over and win some books 7y
55 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Angeles
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

This is a great audio narrated by the author. She is a chaplain and she describes her experience with dying patients sharing their stories with the reader. Weirdly, it is a very life affirming book, but so sad I keep crying and having to stop listening for a couple of weeks so I am not sure if I will have the strength to get to the end of the book

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Melmar
On Living | Kerry Egan
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I loved this book. It's right up there with Tiny Beautiful Things in terms of books that I should own copies of and have on hand whenever I have an existential crisis. Thanks #sprincleaningreadathon for helping finish the last few pages of this amazing book.

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Melmar
On Living | Kerry Egan
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This whole book is just full of awesome advice. #onliving #goodadvice #booktherapy #bookhelp

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RobinGustafson
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Morning reading time before work

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cherylmorton
On Living | Kerry Egan
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"There's nothing stopping you from acting with the same urgency the dying feel...Become who you want to be while you can enjoy it. Don't put off doing the work of becoming who you want to be. Waiting will not make it easier, and time is short."

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EchoMyEscape
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick



I'm going to describe On Living as a book written by a hospice worker that shares the secrets, wisdoms, and regrets of the dying. Mrs. Egan does a terrific job of inspiring, and takes what seemingly would be a tear filled subject and turns it in to a thoughtful little book of lessons and insight. I Loved it!

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jessdean
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

Forgot to take a pic of the book before taking it back to the library. But as a Hospice nurse myself, I appreciated this Chaplain's experiences with her various patients as they navigated the last days/months of their lives. From my own experience I can definitely say that it is unbelievably humbling to be a part of a hospice team❤️ A great read for every human.

Reviewsbylola I really want to read this. 8y
kspenmoll The hospice team that cared for my mother until she died at home was utterly amazing. Her death would have been quite different without them.❤❤ (edited) 8y
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EchoMyEscape
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Life is a million choices...

jessdean I'm reading this too! 8y
EchoMyEscape @jessdean I am almost finished and it has been amazing!!! 8y
jessdean Just finished it last night. Such a great book❤️ 8y
14 likes3 comments
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jessdean
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Yikes! When library requests decide to come in all at once😳 Gonna have to shift some of my TBR around😬❤️🤓📚

Lesliereads Whoa! My library only allows 4 requests at a time😊 8y
Reviewsbylola The top three are on my TBR. 8y
jessdean @Lesliereads I don't know what our rules are exactly but 3 of them I put on hold a couple months ago & the other two came fairly quickly. And somehow they ended up all together!😄🙈📚📚 8y
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jessdean @Reviewsbylola I'm excited for all of them! But now I have to alter my previous plans🙈 #bookwormproblems 😂can't complain 📚❤️ 8y
EvieBee 😍😍 8y
Suet624 Just finished On Living. A quick but moving book. 8y
40 likes6 comments
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stargazerblue49
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

I absolutely loved this. Will be buying a copy for my resident office library. This book was everything. It reminded me of all of the reasons I decided to go into medicine that get lost when you're trying to get through just one day at a time. I needed this. I needed this book so much. And it was perfect. 💛💛💛

Soubhiville I love that quote! 8y
Mimi28 Yep, great quote!! 8y
Suet624 I'm reading it now. I can only read a chapter at a time because I want to let each piece settle within. 8y
stargazerblue49 @Suet624 I only had a few days to read it as my library loan was ending, but I fully intend to go through it more slowly once I have my own copy! 8y
44 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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ErikasMindfulShelf
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Great month thanks to 24in48!!

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stargazerblue49
On Living | Kerry Egan
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I found this to be a very poignant and accurate statement. 💙💙💙

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SarahK
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

A beautiful book.

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giveitupforlentmom
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Read this without laughing.

Reviewsbylola 😳😳😂 8y
Suet624 😂😂😂 8y
7 likes1 stack add2 comments
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giveitupforlentmom
On Living | Kerry Egan
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All I could change was how I saw it. I.e. My past.

Suet624 Yup. That's the only way. 8y
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giveitupforlentmom
On Living | Kerry Egan
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I just want to remember this.

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giveitupforlentmom
On Living | Kerry Egan
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I'm going to think about this for a good long while.

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Spiderfelt
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

"Attempting to find or make meaning is perhaps the central task of the spiritual life." p169

"Living things continue to develop until the moment they die, whether or not anyone else recognizes it." p112

It is difficult to find words to fully describe how powerful I found the insights in this book. There is so much wisdom contained in this slender volume. I will certainly be pressing it into the hands of everyone I love.

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Spiderfelt
On Living | Kerry Egan
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What do people do when they're at parties? They tell stories, and if it's a great party, they dance. They might drink, and they might even take some drugs, but really, those things are usually the precursors to telling stories. It's stories that heal.

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LizzyM
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

It's an icy Midwest day, and I cozied up in front of a fire to finish this moving book about living while dying. The stories are beautiful and thought provoking without being preachy. I hope I can keep these stories with me because I think there is much to learn from them.

Beckys_Books I bought this book for a friend, sounds like I need my own copy now. 8y
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ErikasMindfulShelf
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Keep your tissues close by! So much wisdom and inspiration in this book. Loved it. Thanks @rebeccaschinsky for the recommendation. Please welcome my friend @brannstrom to the Litsy family!

Reviewsbylola I need to read this. 8y
brannstrom Thanks for the invite ☺ 8y
39 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Sarrie
On Living | Kerry Egan
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I'm pretty sure I can blame the #BookRiot podcasts for most of this stack. I tend to listen to back episodes and just place holds all willy nilly for books and authors they mention. Ah well, at least they'll keep me busy! #libraryhaul

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AvidReader25
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Loving this nonfiction book by a hospice chaplain. There's so much wisdom to be found as people reflect on their lives.

Reviewsbylola I added this to my #tbr after hearing @Liberty and @rebeccaschinsky talk about it. 8y
24 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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MABMEDIA
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

A beautiful book on the agony and ecstasy of living and dying. Highly recommended.

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Cberbs
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

Lovely

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Cberbs
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Beautiful

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Cberbs
On Living | Kerry Egan
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I think we need more love as we get older not less. ❤️️❤️️❤️️

Suet624 I took a photo of this section too as I was reading. She's absolutely right-on. 8y
Cberbs @Suet624 So much to love in this book! 8y
8 likes2 comments
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Cberbs
On Living | Kerry Egan
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"If I had only known, I would have danced more." Somebody tattoo this on my body

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Cberbs
On Living | Kerry Egan

Such a beautiful story.

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NerdyRev
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Pickpick

You should read this. Really, you should. It is pretty amazing. For those who are not religious, this isn't a religious book, but it does touch on some after life stuff. It is more how people approach death and stories she heard- regrets, secrets, joys, family, etc. She even says, as a chaplain, she talks more about families and stories than about faith.

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ericarobynreads
On Living | Kerry Egan
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Who do you believe yourself to be? It‘s a strange question, right? But trying to answer it honestly tells a person so much about themselves.

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