Death and dying Quote by Gore Vidal
![“[Howard's] eyes were open and very clear. I'd forgotten what a beautiful gray they were--illness and medicine had regularly glazed them over; now they were bright and attentive, and he was watching me, consciously, through long lashes. Lungs, heart may have stopped but the optic nerves were still…” quote by Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/77c/gore-vidal-466_death-and-dying_howard-s-eyes-were-open-and-very-clear-i_1774311.jpg)
““[Howard's] eyes were open and very clear. I'd forgotten what a beautiful gray they were--illness and medicine had regularly glazed them over; now they were bright and attentive, and he was watching me, consciously, through long lashes. Lungs, heart may have stopped but the optic nerves were still sending messages to a brain which, those who should know tell us, does not immediately shut down. So we stared at each other at the end... 'Can you hear me?' I asked him. 'I know you can see me.' Although there was no breath for speech, he now had a sort of wry wiseguy from the Bronx expression on his face which said clearly to me who knew all his expressions, 'So this is the big fucking deal everyone goes on about.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Unknown (personal reflection), author unknown
A narrator observes a dying man's lingering awareness, highlighting the persistence of perception beyond physical decline.
In simple terms: Even as the body fails, the mind can still see and understand.
Key Takeaway
Respect the dignity of consciousness in illness.
Themes
mortality
perception
consciousness
humanity
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
essay
philosophical
When to use this quote
- end-of-life care
- ethical decision making
- philosophical contemplation
Key Concepts
existential reflection
medical observation
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to be truly alive?
- How should we honor lingering awareness?
A Different Perspective
Physical decline does not erase mental presence, but may distort interpretation.
