Goals and objectives are important in life and more important when you’re about to die. I’ve been trying to set up specific milestones each month. For example, back in February I set up Spring, the Memorial of Christ’s Death, and April Fool’s Day as upcoming goals.

I’m still here.

The next important milestone may be more difficult to achieve because that one is in early June. There isn’t much going on in April or May.

In the meantime, I’m practicing to die.

What?

That’s ridiculous, right? Not really. Our bed has a recliner function and thanks to breathing problems caused by ALS, I sleep on my back and before going to sleep I stare into the ceiling through the ventilator mask.

How is that not like practicing for death?

Yes, I could fall down and conk my head and die on the floor. The plan is to die in bed, lying on my back when breathing stops.

Each night is an example of practicing for death. I lie down on the bed but in a recliner position; not quite sitting upright, of course, but more like lying in a hospital bed when the alarms begin to sound and the monitors go into flatline mode.

Beeeeeeeeep.

Except the practice does not have a beep.