Reflecting on how one's acceptance of mortality can enrich our lives by transforming perspectives and infusing mundane moments with beauty and mindfulness, Becker wants us prioritize what truly matters. In this interview, the author of *Heartwood: The Art of Living with the End in Mind* discusses important themes around life, death, mindfulness, and appreciation of the present moment are explored.
Barbara Becker invites readers to live with death in mind and encouraging acceptance of impermanence by broadening the concept of loss to include experiences like divorce, becoming an empty nester, or losing cherished possessions. Drawing from hospice work, she highlights the power of presence and the resilience symbolized by heartwood, where loss sustains growth. Inspired by nature’s cycles and Atisha’s Nine Contemplations of Death, she reflects on how mindfulness deepens understanding of life’s fragility.