Now that the turkey, champagne, stuffing and other glorious carbs have been consumed. the real dessert is whipped cream on the pumpkin pie: the gift of a conversation about Life and Grace.

We each have our stories about how a loved one’s life has ended. If we’re lucky, that beloved person had a good death: in sleep, perhaps, or of simply old age with no hospital events or trauma. Then there are the Rest-of-Us who have the stories of long and painful endings.

When you’re already in the situation of making tough health decisions, it’s tough, it’s emotional, it’s irrational, it’s energy-draining…it’s the wrong time.

The right time is to have that sensitive, considered, critical dialogue now, before that inevitable time comes for decision-making. The questions at Engage in Grace dot org, shown in the chart, are a helpful tool to use for that talk. Alexandra Drane, founder and president of Eliza Corporation, knows all about how to have conversations in health: she’s leveraged technology to innovate such conversations. Engage with Grace is Alex’s long-time mission to inspire these conversations within extended families and tight social networks.

Health Populi’s Hot Points: Both of my parents had these, one with lymphocytic leukemia and one with chronic heart failure. I’ve written about my mother’s illness and my father’s last years in previous musings.

Please have this hard conversation: it will be a gift for you, and more importantly, for your loved one.