A Hospice Nurse Shares the One Reflection She Hears Again and Again at Life’s Final Chapter

January 14, 2026 by ucef

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What People Reflect On Near the End of Life

When people reach the final chapter of their lives, conversations often change.

Daily concerns fade into the background. Schedules, deadlines, and long-term plans lose their urgency. Instead, people begin to look backward, reflecting on how they lived and what they valued most.

According to Julie, many individuals become remarkably honest during this time. They speak openly, not to complain, but to make sense of their experiences.

One regret comes up often: spending too much time working.

Julie acknowledges that this is a complicated reality. Most people work because they must. Responsibilities, family needs, and financial pressures leave little room for alternatives. Even so, she says many wish they had found more balance, more moments of presence, and more time for relationships that mattered deeply to them.

But there is another reflection she hears even more frequently.