Death is not waiting for us; it is already here and has been walking alongside us our whole lives. Since the moment we were born, our death has been inevitable. Most of the time, we prefer to deny or avoid this truth, despite knowing how denial or avoidance usually works out. Hint: it’s the cause of much harm. To avoid harming ourselves or others, what then, is the opposite of denial?

Acceptance. We can minimize suffering by acknowledging the end of life, by inviting it into our everyday awareness. Keep reading…

A will (or last will and testament) lets you decide who inherits your property, who will care for children or pets, how debts get handled, and who manages your estate when you’re gone. In the US, if you die without a will (called dying intestate), state law decides for you. That usually means more time, money, and stress for your loved ones. So if you have any assets in the US, you need a US will.

But what happens when you also own property or assets in Mexico? Keep reading…

Liminal. It’s a word that can apply to both space and time. It describes a state of being that is neither here nor there; materially, energetically. The liminal occupies the before and after, both sides of a border and the threshold in between. It describes a transition, a becoming, a process.  I once thought our task was to traverse the liminal, to get to the other side. Today, I view that as a mistake. Keep reading…

Some people find it morbid, negative, bad luck or just plain too scary to earnestly contemplate death. John Powers quotes from Dr. Richard Kalish in his book, Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, saying, “Death is blasphemous and pornographic. We react to it and its symbols in the same way that we react to pornography. We avoid it. We deny it exists. We consider it horrible, ugly and grotesque.” Keep reading…

There are common elements to end-of-life planning checklists, whether you’re preparing for end of life in Mexico or anywhere else. Universal to-do items may include completing an advance directive, identifying a medical or financial proxy, or executing a will. Common to-do items for those who live in Mexico might include building a relationship with your closest neighbors, establishing medical history with a general practitioner, or purchasing a pre-need funeral plan. Keep reading…

As expats, many of us made the decision to leave potential support networks behind when we chose to move to Mexico. We moved away from immediate family, away from lifelong friends, and away from the communities in which we spent the most formative parts of our lives. If we were lucky enough to have consistent healthcare in the US, we may have also moved from a family doctor or medical care team. Keep reading…

When we first learn to speak Spanish the lessons are typically centered on how to introduce ourselves to strangers, order food at a restaurant, or ask where the bathroom is. I’ve yet to see a Spanish language lesson that focuses on how to talk about end of life, but why not? Just because we’re new to a language and are limited to speaking like we’re in the first grade, doesn’t mean we should limit ourselves to first grade topics. Keep reading…

Grief expert Dr. Alan Wolfelt teaches that when grieving, we can find peace by practicing the six needs of mourning. Mourning, Wolfet reminds us, is an outward expression of grief, while grief is an internal experience. So, how can we make space (and time) for healthy expressions of grief? As immigrants to Mexico, we may find it easier, or harder, to mourn. Keep reading…