In Kitchen Table Wisdom, Dr. Rachel Remen offers countless stories demonstrating the importance of creating a medical environment that fosters intimacy, vulnerability, and a willingness to accept the hardest moments of human life. In Remen’s book, these moments all center around death and dying. Through storytelling, Remen is able to illuminate the hidden stories and feelings associated with death, the uncertainty of death, and the fear of losing a loved one. Remen demonstrates that only by breaking away from the bureaucratic and emotionless medical narrative, and instead, by simply offering open ears and a hand to hold for those who are most afraid, can create a sense of inner-peace and an acceptance of death for those dying of terminal illnesses.
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Remen decided to take her ring to a jewelry store to have it cast to make additional copies to be sold. As she drove home from the jewelry store, a catastrophic storm struck and the jewelry store became absorbed by the Ocean. After the ring was washed away, Remen became so utterly engrossed in obsession over her lost ring, she began to spiral into a fury of self-blame and disappointment. To illustrate this spiral of self-blame, Remen writes, “Through my numbness, I could hear sever inner voices commenting on my loss. The loudest was my father’s saying, ‘This never would have happened if you hadn’t allowed a total stranger to exploit you and make a profit from your design How stupid can you be, and you a doctor?...” (Remen, p. 186). Although Remen doesn’t present an explicit beginning after the end of her ring, she demonstrates the detrimental effect only recognizing the end has on an individual and their well-being.
As someone who has recently exited a two-year relationship, I empathize with becoming overwhelmingly absorbed in the ending of something near to your heart. When life throws you threw a loop and you finally land feeling a little disoriented, it’s difficult to see the new beginning and not just the ending of
Remen decided to take her ring to a jewelry store to have it cast to make additional copies to be sold. As she drove home from the jewelry store, a catastrophic storm struck and the jewelry store became absorbed by the Ocean. After the ring was washed away, Remen became so utterly engrossed in obsession over her lost ring, she began to spiral into a fury of self-blame and disappointment. To illustrate this spiral of self-blame, Remen writes, “Through my numbness, I could hear sever inner voices commenting on my loss. The loudest was my father’s saying, ‘This never would have happened if you hadn’t allowed a total stranger to exploit you and make a profit from your design How stupid can you be, and you a doctor?...” (Remen, p. 186). Although Remen doesn’t present an explicit beginning after the end of her ring, she demonstrates the detrimental effect only recognizing the end has on an individual and their well-being.
As someone who has recently exited a two-year relationship, I empathize with becoming overwhelmingly absorbed in the ending of something near to your heart. When life throws you threw a loop and you finally land feeling a little disoriented, it’s difficult to see the new beginning and not just the ending of