Wondering about my Wanderings

The gift of death

I am offering something I read in my devotions. It is by Henri Nouwen. I often wonder how death can be a gift. Henri suggests in words that were written before his own death ways that we can use death of others or even ourselves in order that we become a blessing to others.
Making Our Deaths Gifts - from Henri Nouwen's Bread for the Journey

How do we make our deaths gifts for others? Very often people's lives are destroyed, harmed, or permanently wounded by the deaths of their relatives or friends. We have to do whatever we can to avoid this. When we are near death what we say to those who are close to us, whether in spoken or in written words, is very important. When we express gratitude to them, ask forgiveness for our shortcomings and offer forgiveness for theirs, and express our sincere desire that they continue their lives without remorse but remembering the graces of our lives, then our deaths can become true gifts.