Alua Arthur works with families, caretakers, and people close to death who want to be intentional about the end of life. She's learned through her work and her own experiences with loss that facing the inevitable can help lessen the anxiety and fear so many of us have around death. Her new book is called, Briefly Perfectly Human. Also, we remember painter Faith Ringgold, who died Saturday at the age of 93. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
On the TED radio hour, linguist Ann Curzan says she gets a lot of complaints about people using the pronoun they to refer to one person.
I sometimes get into arguments with people where they will say to me, but it can't be singular.
And I will say, but it is the history behind words causing a lot of debate.
That's on the Ted radio hour from NPR.
This is FRESH AIR.
I'm Tanya Moseley.
Have you thought about your death?
Who you want to be there with you during your final days and how you want it to happen?
Death.
Doula Elua Arthur opened up a national conversation last year when she gave a TED talk about death and why thinking about it can help us live a better life.
I want to die at sunset.
I want to watch the sky change and turn orange and pink and purple as day dies into night.
I want to hear the wind fluttering through the leaves and smell very faintly, nog champa amber incense, but very faintly, because scent can be tough on a dying body.
I want to die with socks on my feet because I get cold.
And if I die with a bra on, I'm coming to haunt everybody.
I will terrorize you, and that is a threat.
Okay?
I want to die in my own bed, in my own home with my loved ones nearby who are talking amongst themselves and comforting each other for this very big thing that's about to happen in their lives.
I want to die with all of my affairs in order so my loved ones have nothing to worry about but.
Their grief after I die.