Sorgekunst

In societies that value long life, it takes courage to embrace life until the very end. Reading this little book requires courage and aims to restore it, encouraging a perspective on everyday life that considers the end. Ancient philosophy believed that this courage is necessary for clearer thinking. What are the possibilities of happiness? How can trust in others be built? This way of thinking corresponds to "care." Care has two sides. It can be burdensome. Death, the anticipation of one’s own potential frailty, and the end of life evoke this concern. The second side of care is more active. To care means to take responsibility, to be considerate, to reflect, to shape, and not to evade. At stake is a new art of care. This little book of courage stands in the long tradition of literature on the art of living. It encourages a care for oneself, with others, and for others.