People often ask how I choose the topics for my columns. Sometimes the topic I choose is seasonal, such as the Advent series in December. But most often I write about something I have thought about while talking to other people. During conversation, a question will arise which sparks my interest. I wonder “how, when, why._”
I love to research and learn about new things. Readers tell me they enjoy learning about new things too. But sometimes my “research” comes from conversations because the richest source of wisdom is from a life well-lived.
At breakfast, I might ask, “How are you today?” Sometimes the answer is, “Well, I woke up!” There comes a time in life when simply greeting a new day is enough. We don’t have to prove our worth to anybody anymore by being productive. Simply living a good life is enough.
When I was a child, I learned the bedtime prayer, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die, before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.”
This old prayer acknowledges our fear that death might overtake us while we sleep. In fact, death is sometimes called “the long sleep.” But amongst the senior population with whom I live, the thought of dying during sleep is not feared. In fact, many people say they hope they will die peacefully in their sleep.
In this, my first column of 2026, I might have been talking about greeting the new year and making predictions. Instead, I’m talking about death and dying peacefully. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not telling you that I am anticipating death at any moment, although that is the reality for all of us. I intend to live a long, long time yet, and I work hard in order to live a happy, healthy life. But I have been thinking about what it means to live a “productive life”. Should I be shifting my expectations? Perhaps at the end of the year instead of totalling up my accomplishments, I should be satisfied that I have lived another day and look forward to a good night’s sleep. If I should be so fortunate as to wake up the next morning, then surely I have succeeded in life.
North Americans place great emphasis on productivity. Although we say “every life matters,” we give preference to people who are doing things. We give priority in the healthcare system to wage earners and try to get them back into the workforce as soon as possible after an illness or injury.
When I had my first assessment of my low vision disability at the CNIB office in Saskatoon, they were happy that I was still earning income because they could then access a federally funded program to assist disabled people to continue working.
Now in the last quarter century of my life, I need to remind myself not to focus on productivity. I am a “human being,” not a “human doing.” Every day I’m doing the hard work of being me. I woke up!
