What Really Matters!

Near Death Experiences (NDEs) have strong and profound effects on most experiencers.  Such experiences tend to exert a powerful effect on a person’s motivations, values, and conduct.  It has been found that experiencer’s resume life by living it more fully, loving more openly, and fearing death less, if at all.  Their lives seem more grounded in a sense of purpose and it is more consciously shaped by the spiritual values of love, compassion, and acceptance.  It has been documented that those people who have undergone near death experiences become more altruistic, less materialistic, and more loving.  They lose their taste for ego-boosting achievement.

People who have experienced critical illness or near death experiences display motivation for change. Strong emotions invoke a power to change attitudes, personality, and existing beliefs.

                          

               
Perhaps during the “experience”, one has the chance to contemplate what is truly important.  High priority values are found to be those of kindness, compassion, and unconditional love of others; low priority values are money, competition and power.  Superficial aspects of your life are rendered unimportant.  Acts in which you selflessly express concern for your fellow men is what really matters.  After a NDE there is a greater willingness to accept others and be less judgmental of other people.

I was admitted to the intensive care unit a year ago, when I was found to be in septic shock.  Having survived the experience, I have often contemplated how best I might be able to show my appreciation to those that took care of me, to my family members that expressed immeasurable love and concern, and give thanks that I am still alive.

Through photography I will portray the bond that develops among people and how their experiences help cultivate and strengthen the relationship between them.  The images will portray what values are important in people’s lives.