ABSTRACT
Suffering is no stranger to us; it has been a lifelong companion. We know its pain, its yearning, its grief. It has not been limited to physical pain – consider the jobs lost, the child's fearful illness, the work failed or unfinished, the wounded hearts we have endured. Suffering is ultimately a personal matter. Patients sometimes report suffering when one does not expect it, or do not report suffering when one does expect it. The Buddhists would remind us that suffering is an indication that we have attached ourselves to things that are destined to cease. The greatest gift that we can give to the dying person is to be there, be fully present, and know that our willingness to listen to their stories goes far toward relieving their suffering.
