Closer To Closure: A Plan For Moving Forward

Life compels us all to move forward, whether we embrace the idea or not. Some of us resist the notion of growing up and find the prospect of aging unappealing. Peter Pan, a character who famously resisted growing up, wholeheartedly embraced living in the present and eschewed any thoughts of the future.

J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan once said, “To live will be an awfully big adventure,” acknowledging the vastness and excitement of life. He also stated, “To die will be an awfully big adventure,” alluding to the unknown journey that death represents. It’s interesting that by approaching life with a plan, we may be able to create a more positive and enriching experience when faced with the adventure of dying. Both aspects of his perspective hold truth and provide food for thought.

Our anxiety levels tend to rise when we feel out of control. Interestingly, our bodies don’t differentiate between how anxiety and excitement feel physically. The difference is only noticeable based on what our brains tell us. Many public speakers claim that they tell themselves they are excited about giving a talk to dispel the fear of failing in front of an audience. They interpret physically sweaty palms and a churning stomach as signs of excitement rather than anxiety.

How are anxiety, control, excitement, and adventure related? When we go on a journey of any sort, we usually know our way or we seek guidance, like using a GPS. If we don’t know the way, we seek comfort from the voice of the GPS (let’s call her Lula Bell). Lula Bell tells us each turn to make and lets us know how far until the next maneuver. We feel in control and our anxiety tends to be minimal.

When we embark on a journey without a plan or map, such as jumping in our car and simply driving, it’s easy to become lost and feel anxious. Our minds start racing with “what ifs”: What if we run out of gas? What if the car breaks down in the middle of nowhere? What if we’re late for our appointment?

On the other hand, an adventure involves some flexibility along the way, with companions joining us on the journey. Adventures are carefully planned with designated stops leading to the final destination. They offer a sense of control and direction while inviting input from fellow travelers and embracing the unknowns between stopping points. Companions may share fascinating observations or alert us to potential obstacles ahead.

We can’t be certain about what we’ll see or experience on the adventure journey, but we feel excited rather than anxious. We’ve laid out our plans ahead of time and communicated our intentions to our fellow travelers. That’s what “Closer to Closure: A Plan For Moving Forward” is all about. It’s meant to chart your adventure with input from your traveling companions.

“I’ve learned that many people are closed off to the excitement of adventure. Sometimes we try so hard to control every aspect of our lives that we shut out the love and input that would make our journey much more enjoyable.”

Consider having a conversation with your loved ones about one serious topic regarding life and death. There are many directions the conversation could take, some of which might surprise you. If you’re nervous about where the conversation might lead, the Closer To Closure checklist can help you explore topics to kickstart the discussion. Just choose one!

The adventure of living (and loving) will enhance the adventure of dying. Both are adventures but the plans, and conversations about the plans, shared with others should be a source of excitement rather than anxiety.