Rage ONLY Against the Dying of the Light

“Do not go gentle into that good night” – Dylan Thomas, poet

Here at mythical DEATH ROADHOUSE, we sometimes see angry, upset visitors, because both dying and caregiving can be so stressful.

Centuries ago, wise Stoic philosopher Seneca wrote that anger is:

“… the most outrageous, brutal, dangerous, and intractable of all passions; the most loathsome and unmannerly; nay, the most ridiculous too; and the subduing of this monster will do a great deal toward the establishment of human peace.”

Few would argue with Seneca. The question is, how do we subdue the “monster” of rage within ourselves? Is it possible for us to rage against the dying of the light, rather than one another?

I’ll never forget the appalling instant my own dying mother turned to me with a look of pure rage on her face and spewed me with hot, shocking verbal abuse for a full minute.

I’d suggested she wait an hour before drinking her two nightly glasses of wine. Mom had just swallowed a “Happy Pill,” provided by Hospice. I knew drinking alcohol in combination with an antidepressant can cause dizziness and drowsiness…

(You can read Gloria’s full article HERE –it’s about a 5-minute read)