What Matters Most
Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
A profound, heartfelt, and inspiring exploration into living a meaningful life, filled with passion, joy, gratitude, and peace.
AN OPEN FIELD PUBLICATION FROM MARIA SHRIVER
In her unique work as a death doula, Diane Button has had the privilege of guiding clients to a peaceful transition for almost two decades. Each client has imparted wisdom that has left an indelible mark, offering her profound reflections and clarity of what it means to both live well and die well. Now, Diane invites you to share in this journey, offering insights that illuminate the path to a fulfilling life.
This poignant collection of stories highlights the powerful lessons Diane has learned from her “wisdom keepers,” revealing the core elements that contribute to a deep, purposeful existence. Each chapter shares the emotional story of an individual—like Floyd, whose weekly doctor visits show us how small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact, or Rosie, the spirited six-year-old who turns every day into a celebration—illustrating the beauty and fragility of life. Through these heartfelt narratives, readers are encouraged to reassess their priorities, nurture their connections, and pursue their passions with renewed urgency and appreciation.
The book culminates with Diane’s six reflective questions, along with other practical tools designed to help readers apply these timeless insights to their own lives. What Matters Most is a heartwarming, honest exploration of how to make the most of the precious time we are given.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Button (Dear Death) mines her career as a death doula for this compassionate meditation on what makes a meaningful life. Death, she writes, strips away "superficial and unimportant entrapments... making space for what matters most"—generally, relationships, living with a sense of purpose, and inner peace. Sharing stories of how clients prepared for death, she writes that a man named Floyd organized photo collections to feel connected to his deceased wife and how a woman named Carrie reconnected with her estranged kids in an effort to die with a "clean slate." Even surprising requests reveal deep psychological needs, Button explains, noting that Amanda—after her friends cleaned her house—realized she wanted to die with a messy, lived-in home that reflected the full family life she'd cultivated. While Button's commonsense advice for living intentionally might not be new, she excels at pithily summarizing her wisdom and stitching poignant observations into the client stories (Floyd, she writes, "needed to tell me that he has never stopped reaching over to the other side of the bed to touch his wife each morning, even though he knows she will not be there"). Readers will be moved.
