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Some people experience happiness before death. Source: Freepik
A palliative care researcher emphasized that death can help to appreciate life. That is why some people experience happiness before they die.
Simon Boas wrote a candid story about living with cancer before he died at the age of 47. "My pain is under control and I'm terribly happy — it sounds weird to say, but I'm as happy as I've ever been in my life," the sick man said before his death, LiveScience reports.
Rejoicing despite the pain
In an interview with the BBC, Simon Boas shared some ideas that helped him accept death. He mentioned the importance of enjoying life and prioritizing meaningful experiences, suggesting that acknowledging death can increase our appreciation for life.
Despite his pain and difficulties, Boas seemed cheerful, hoping that his attitude toward death would support his wife and parents in their time of need. One of Boas' last words echoed the words of the Roman philosopher Seneca, who advised, "To have lived long enough depends neither upon our years nor upon our days, but upon our minds."
What is the relation between happiness and meaning?
In two recent studies, people who were nearing death were asked what happiness meant to them. The common themes in both studies were social connections, enjoying simple things like being in nature, positive thinking, and a general shift in focus from seeking pleasure to seeking meaning as the disease progresses.
Mattias Tranberg, a researcher at the Institute of Palliative Care at Lund University, emphasized that his experience with terminally ill patients shows that "it's possible to feel happiness alongside sadness, and other seemingly conflicting emotions."
"Over a day, patients can feel gratitude, remorse, longing, anger, guilt and relief — sometimes all at once. Facing the limits of existence can add perspective and help a person appreciate life more than ever," summarized Matthias.
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