Death is staring too long into the burning sun and the relief of entering a cool, dark room.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
I was destined to work with dying patients. I had no choice when I encountered my first AIDS patient. I felt called to travel some 250,000 miles each year to hold workshops that helped people cope with the most painful aspects of life, death and the transition between the two.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the deep calling and responsibility one feels when faced with the suffering of others.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross articulates her profound sense of purpose regarding end-of-life care, emphasizing that her experiences with dying patients were not merely occupational but rather a calling. Her commitment to helping others cope with significant life challenges showcases the essential role of compassion and understanding during difficult transitions, such as death, and how this can affect one's life path and motivations.
Themes
DestinyDeathCallingCompassionWorkshopsCoping
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of palliative care.
More from Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
All quotes →The reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not "get over" the loss of a loved one; you will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered. You will be whole again but you will never be the same. Nor should you be the same nor would you want to.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
The simple life on the farm was everything to me. Nothing was more relaxing after a long plane flight than to reach the winding driveway that led up to my house. The quiet of the night was more soothing than a sleeping pill.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
The ultimate lesson all of us have to learn is unconditional love, which includes not only others but ourselves as well.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
There is no joy without hardship. If not for death, would we appreciate life? If not for hate, would we know the ultimate goal is love? At these moments you can either hold on to negativity and look for blame, or you can choose to heal and keep on loving.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
We're put here on Earth to learn our own lessons. No one can tell you what your lessons are; it is part of your personal journey to discover them. On these journeys we may be given a lot, or just a little bit, of the things we must grapple with, but never more than we can handle.
Elisabeth Kubler-RossRead
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