Lessons for the Living Stories of Forgiveness, Gratitude, and Courage at the End of Life

When Stan Goldberg was diagnosed with cancer, he was afraid and deeply saddened by his prognosis, as anyone in his situation would be. Unlike many, however, he chose to face his fear by helping others in the process of dyinghe signed up as a hospice volunteer to be at the bedsides of people who are terminally ill. His experiences changed his view of deathand lifeforever. In this book, Stan tells the stories of people he met in hospice. He shares their very ordinary experiences of facing fear and sadness and pain with all the bravery and love they could muster. The stories shine a light on the great capacity of the human spirit for beauty, insight, forgiveness, and gratitude. Stan shows how seemingly ordinary things, such as small acts of kindness, letting go of anger, and keeping things simple can have an extraordinary effect for someone who is dyingand how they offer lasting lessons for the living.

Stan Goldberg, PhD, is a speech pathologist and university professor at San Francisco
State University. He is an experienced public speaker and has published articles, poems, and plays addressing end-of-life issues. He is one of six essayists who were asked by NPR to read his “This I Believe” essay at a public gathering in 2007. He lives with his wife in the San Francisco Bay Area.