Famous Last Words

I am going to share a few personal thoughts on an extraordinary series on Netflix called ‘Famous Last Words’.

Yesterday I watched an interview with the actor Eric Dane. You may remember him from the series Grey's Anatomy, where he became known as ‘McSexy’ (is the nickname used in the German dubbed version) or ‘McSteamy’ (which is the original English nickname) or Dr. Mark Sloan. Most recently, he played the character ‘Cal Jacobs’ in the series Euphoria, among many other roles.

He spoke and reflected on his life due to his impending inevitable death from the neurological disease ALS.

Reflecting on life can be very healing, especially when you do it in a safe circle with people, a community that listens and bears witness. Here, everyone ‘works’ together. The invisible ‘net of life’ is activated. Healing can take place.

The interview touched me, but it also made me think once again that these reflections or thoughts often only come at the end of life.

What particularly struck me at one point in the interview, apart from the message he gave to his daughters and how he talked about his life story, was how his whole body and emotions reacted when he told the story about his guest role in the series Grey's Anatomy. He said that ‘he was so well received, the script was rewritten’. What particularly moved me here was his joy, his facial expression, the tension in his body. I found that very special. Here, in this moment at the interview, the disease could not harm him at all.

And he also said so aptly in the interview, ‘ALS may have destroyed his body, but it never destroyed his spirit’.

Also, ‘Take every opportunity’ encouraged me once again to be braver.

What has remained for me?

I find it beautiful, helpful and wonderful not to wait until the end of life to reflect, but to ask the big questions of life, or what moves us as a person, at any time. We can take the time for this NOW; we don't need to wait for a better, different, last moment. Because there is no such thing as the right moment.

• What fulfils me?

• How do I spend my life?

• How do I spend my time in my life?

• What is my life purpose? Why I do get up every morning?

• What do I use my lifetime for?

• What do I love about my time here on Earth?

• What do I regret or would I have liked to have done differently?

• What would I like to say to my family, friends, people today, here, now?

• What am I sorry for?

• What could be a piece of wisdom for myself and maybe for others?

• What have I done well for myself, what could I have done differently?

• ‘I'm sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you.’ This is a traditional Hawaiian practice called Ho'oponopono.

In any case, I am grateful that space is being given to these voices - here and now.

Here is the link to the interview.