Dear God,
We know [parent] is not going to live very long.
We know they have tried so hard to stay here and not leave us. We know they love us.
The medicines have stopped working. Their sickness is taking them away.
We know they are hurting. We have seen them cry. We have seen our [parent] cry and other people cry. It makes us afraid.
We will miss our [parent], we will miss their smile, we will miss their stories, and we will miss their fun.
[Did you know that mom loved camping, God? She really loved camping.]
We do not know where they are going, but we know they will stop hurting. We are glad they will stop hurting.
We are not sure what happens when a person dies. Maybe part of them goes to a better place. Dear God, please take care of our [parent] when they die. Hug them very close and take care of them after, too.
We are glad other adults will love us and take care of us. We can cry as much as we need to. We can laugh, too. Our [parent] would like that. They would like that we can cry and laugh.
Be with them always. Amen
—By David Sparks, United Church of Canada minister, and Sheila Noyes, former co-president of Dying with Dignity Canada