My meditation class at the Mansion is increasingly important to me. All at the edge of life, these people are eager for spiritual guidance and honest talk about their lives.

This morning, I changed the format a bit. I played some calming music; we practiced breathing slowly in and out; I did some reading from Henri Nouwen’s book Bread For The Journey.

We talked about friendship, need, and also about death.

Of course, it is on their minds, but they rarely get a chance to talk about it. The group is bonding, getting to know one another. They are trusting one another and trusting me.

This was not a sad discussion; it was honest and inspiring.

(Zinnia greets everyone in the class, one by one, then goes to sleep.)

At the Mansion, what matters more than anything is showing up. I’ve been showing up for five years now; the residents are beginning to think I’m for real. Some of us have been through a lot together.

One of the residents said she thought it was important to feel at peace with the people she is close to in her life or at least tries. She said she didn’t mind her family grieved for her, but she didn’t want her death to cause guilt or anger.

I read her one of Nouwen’s quotes about death: “When we are ready to die at any moment, we are also ready to live at any moment.” They all loved that.

This conversation was not gloomy; it was warm and funny and touching.

We also talked about what might happen to us when we died. H said it is more important to think about those we leave behind. I asked if anybody believed that the way we die has a lasting impact on those we leave behind. There were a lot of shaking heads – agreement.

I read another Nouwen quote: “It will be easier for our family and friends to remember us with joy and peace if we have said a grateful goodbye than if we die with bitter and disillusioned hearts.”

J said the greatest gift we can give our families and friends is gratitude. Make sure, she said, to tell them how grateful we are to have had them in our lives.

Then we meditated for eight minutes. Class meets again next week.

(Above photo, Helen meditating)

Tomorrow, I’m going to the Memory Care Unit to celebrate putting up the shadow boxes we bought last year for the memory care residents to put objects in to help them recognize their rooms. I’m excited to be invited.

I’ve got a whole load of Mansion asks. I bought snow boots for William; they are on the way. I’m getting cheese, dip, and pepperoni for a Mansion Super Bowl Pa.

Tania Woodward wants to throw a 50’s and 60’s party in the Spring.

She wants some vintage clothes. Today I brought three bags of clothes, two paid for by an anonymous donor, the third brand new and very classy clothes for men, especially large ones.

Tania will distribute them.

If you wish to support the Mansion program, you can contribute via Paypal, [email protected], or Venmo: Jon Katz@Jon-Katz-13. Or by mail, Jon Katz, Mansion Fund, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.

Thanks.