What really matters at the end of life | BJ Miller | TED

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Published 2015-09-30
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At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, it’s simply comfort, respect, love. BJ Miller is a palliative care physician who thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients. Take the time to savor this moving talk, which asks big questions about how we think on death and honor life.

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All Comments (21)
  • @jvyu9628
    His eyes speak of how badly he wants us to understand where he is coming from, and that we, too, will realize the importance of his message. I’m grateful for having the opportunity of watching this today
  • @TheSKINNMAN
    My biggest thing is loneliness I am so tired of being lonely I have a construction company I am 62. I work about 6 1/2 days a week as many hours as I can. I hate to come home because no one cares if I am home at all I have two great sons. Three great grandsons. They live there lives way far away. So I have been single fir so many years it’s hard to figure out how many. Can’t find someone to care about. They all seem to have so many problems it’s better to be alone So there you go I am alone. I give up. I have seen so much and been though so much. Both Dude did my family is gone. I have a few distant cousins. It seem I have given up hope to have a relationship Do you know how many times I have heard theses words. Well when you stop looking it will happen. I spend my soars time helping people. That seem so help me is a lot of ways. Anyway that’s my story God bless you all if you read my post Peace
  • @netsurfer8507
    It's truly remarkable how his eyes glisten with emotion while his voice remains steady and unwavering.
  • @heytherebarry
    This Ted talk is the one that has had the most impact on my life, I return every year to rewatch it and remind myself of what really matters.
  • See how essential pauses are in speech? This guy gets it. Massive kudos, totally deserved the standing ovation
  • @ferdawsnaeemi
    Not only his words are powerful, his entire being is another thing. The world needs more men like him
  • @butterfly1889
    He understood the meaning of life :kindness ,compassion and love in all circumstances
  • @vairagya108
    His eyes. They indicate wisdom. A wisdom that only comes from having been through a lot of suffering. And also, from having overcome it.
  • @uma20012
    something about his eyes..had its own expression and story.
  • @sadi6351
    "What's most important to people who are closer to death? -Comfort, feeling unburdened and unburdening to those they love; existential peace, and a sense of wonderment and spirituality.", well said!
  • @RedFaceeee
    I’ve seen this in my life. My 3 older brothers died in the last 6 years. They were 27, 28 and 33. They had congenital diseases and I was their primary care giver. We never thought of death, yet we did talk about it’s being. We focused on laughing and thinking of the now. My brothers lived shorts and difficult lives, yet they never frowned. They always thought focused on what little they had and which liberated their souls. They emanated a light form them that attracted everyone towards them.
  • What he does not say is more powerful than what he says. His eyes, his pause, his being...
  • @davidjustin4589
    I didn't think I could watch this all the way through, but I did. I am at or near the end of my journey through life being accompanied by Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. His talk, in a strange way, at least in my mind, gave me some hope that I will accept my death gracefully. At 74 I have lived a decent life but I wish I would have had a little more time, but that wasn't in the cards. Glad I found this vid.
  • "A part of me died early on and that's something we can all say one way or another " Thanks for such inspirational talk
  • @-Ibidugoodbye
    "Making Life more Wonderful, rather than just less Horrible..."
  • @marsray7793
    Is it just me or did anyone else fall in love with this man? lol
  • @MrAkosFintor
    This Ted talk sounded and felt like a poem. A beautiful one!
  • @pedroayllon4293
    I had my heart broken and almost did the unimaginable. Listening to your talk made me realize just how beautiful life could still be after a relationship of 7 years has ended. Thank you so much
  • I read sadness deep in his eyes, but he is strong & powerful. Glory to him !