Life's Last Lessons: Pulitzer-Winner Siddhartha Mukherjee Shares Common Phrases Terminally-Ill People Say

In the whirlwind of our daily lives, time often passes unnoticed, leaving us wondering where the years have gone. Life truly is fleeting. Dwelling on this topic, recently, Siddhartha Mukherjee, an oncologist and author, shared the common words spoken by people in their final moments - and its a reminder that while we're busy living, life is slipping through our fingers, urging us to cherish each moment.

Phrases heard on deathbed

As a Pulitzer Prize-winning author of a history on cancer - "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer" - and an oncologist, Mukherjee is no stranger to death.

Siddhartha Mukherjee

During a commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania, he shared the four common phrases uttered by people on their deathbed, that he has often heard:?

• "I want to tell you that I love you."
• "I want to tell you that I forgive you."
• "Would you tell me that you love me?" and,
• "Would you grant me your forgiveness?"

Mukherjee explained that these expressions often reveal unspoken feelings and unresolved issues.

Love and forgiveness

Siddhartha Mukherjee/ The Daily Pennsylvanian

In the speech, Mukerjee emphasises the importance of not waiting until it's too late to show appreciation or mend relationships.?

He urged young people to take love and forgiveness seriously in a world where they are often dismissed as clichés, encouraging genuine gestures of appreciation - something as simple as surprising a loved one with flowers.?

"I dare you to use these words (like love and forgiveness)," he said. "But not as empty clichés. Imbue them with real meaning. Do it your way, whatever your way is."

Watch a video of his speech here:

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