---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I entered the picture in the eleventh…"
description: "\"“I entered the picture in the eleventh hour as a guide to the exit of his life. I navigated as best I could the role of end-of-life shepherd—a journey ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/lisa-j-shultz-17419_eleventh-hour_i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-ho_1306649.jpg"
---

#  I entered the picture in the eleventh hour as a guide to…

![“I entered the picture in the eleventh hour as a guide to the exit of his life. I navigated as best I could the role of end-of-life shepherd—a journey that I had never taken before. I have to forgive myself for what I did not know. And I have to forgive him for the times that he felt unequipped to…” quote by Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/lisa-j-shultz-17419_eleventh-hour_i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-ho_1306649.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/lisa-j-shultz-17419_eleventh-hour_i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-ho_1306649.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/lisa-j-shultz-17419_eleventh-hour_i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-ho_1306649.jpg)

> ““I entered the picture in the eleventh hour as a guide to the exit of his life. I navigated as best I could the role of end-of-life shepherd—a journey that I had never taken before. I have to forgive myself for what I did not know. And I have to forgive him for the times that he felt unequipped to deal with the unknown.””

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

End‑of‑life caregiving is an uncharted, compassionate role that demands self‑forgiveness and patience.

**In simple terms:** Caring for the dying is new and requires forgiveness.

Key Takeaway

Practice compassion toward yourself and the dying.

Themes

caregiving death forgiveness

Mood

somber empathetic

Type

ethical reflective

When to use this quote

- hospital
- home hospice
- family loss

Key Concepts

ethical duty emotional labor

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance empathy with personal limits?
- What rituals help you forgive yourself?

A Different Perspective

Self‑blame can hinder support.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Eleventh hour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleventh-hour/) [End of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-life/) [End-of-life-issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-life-issues/) [Forgive Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-myself/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shepherd/)

## Related quotes

> [“When I reflect on the stories of death supported by hospice care and contrast it with our story depicting an absence of support, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/when-i-reflect-on-the-stories-of-death-supported-by-hospice-care-and/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“The window of opportunity to plan and prepare for the end of his life had closed gradually. Any cracks left open to talk candidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/the-window-of-opportunity-to-plan-and-prepare-for-the-end-of-his-life/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“A paradigm shift of viewing palliative care or hospice as a gift instead of seeing it as giving up has the potential to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/a-paradigm-shift-of-viewing-palliative-care-or-hospice-as-a-gift/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“I believe it’s imperative to bring the light of support and knowledge to patients and families when death is approaching.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-believe-it-s-imperative-to-bring-the-light-of-support-and-knowledge/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [For John Wilkes Booth, sweeping, grand gestures were a way of life. It was how he navigated his way through this world. The bigger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-johnson/for-john-wilkes-booth-sweeping-grand-gestures-were-a-way-of-life-it/)

[Jesse Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-johnson/)

> [“I felt myself in a sticky spot as a daughter and desperately needed a third party, such as a doctor, to address his declining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-felt-myself-in-a-sticky-spot-as-a-daughter-and-desperately-needed-a/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“Did my dad fool the medical professionals or were we involved with a system that avoided end-of-life discussions? Those conversations might have given my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/did-my-dad-fool-the-medical-professionals-or-were-we-involved-with-a/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“I am not knocking advances that provide a healthier life and alleviate suffering or unnecessary premature death. I am advocating inclusion of education on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-am-not-knocking-advances-that-provide-a-healthier-life-and/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [ \[Pope Francis\] is a humble man. He lives the faith out in his own personal life. ... He's here to be a shepherd; he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/pope-francis-is-a-humble-man-he-lives-the-faith-out-in-his-own/)

[Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/)

> [“Life’s a Shepherd’s stew, he thinks, with thunderstruck clarity, there’s too much stringy this and too little the soft that, and the sweet nubbin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-place/life-s-a-shepherd-s-stew-he-thinks-with-thunderstruck-clarity-there-s/)

[Vanessa Place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-place/)

> [“If I had you, I would have never worried about the end of life; I don’t know why you do then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/if-i-had-you-i-would-have-never-worried-about-the-end-of-life-i-don-t/)

[M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/)

> [“Gomers are human beings who have lost what goes into being human beings. They want to die, and we will not let them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-shem/gomers-are-human-beings-who-have-lost-what-goes-into-being-human/)

[Samuel Shem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-shem/)

> [“Our health care approaches squander billions on extravagant treatment regimes that end up accomplishing little, as a society we refuse to adopt the small,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-martensen/our-health-care-approaches-squander-billions-on-extravagant-treatment/)

Robert Martensen

> [“Beautiful surroundings, the society of learned men, the charm of noble women, the graces of art, could not make up for the loss of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/beautiful-surroundings-the-society-of-learned-men-the-charm-of-noble/)

[Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/)

> [“Frankie," she said softly, "do you know what my idea of heaven is? A place where the windows are always clean, and the people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hudson/frankie-she-said-softly-do-you-know-what-my-idea-of-heaven-is-a-place/)

Helen Hudson

## More by Lisa J. Shultz

> [“When I reflect on the stories of death supported by hospice care and contrast it with our story depicting an absence of support, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/when-i-reflect-on-the-stories-of-death-supported-by-hospice-care-and/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“For me, decluttering and downsizing has caused shifts in my thinking and my habits. I don’t have to declutter; I choose to declutter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/for-me-decluttering-and-downsizing-has-caused-shifts-in-my-thinking/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“I decided to break the trend of accumulating stuff sooner rather than later. I moved to smaller homes ahead of my need. I downsized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-decided-to-break-the-trend-of-accumulating-stuff-sooner-rather-than/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“My clearing has allowed me to rediscover things I stopped seeing and put them into a place of prominence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/my-clearing-has-allowed-me-to-rediscover-things-i-stopped-seeing-and/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“When I eventually moved to a smaller home, it felt cozy, like having a pair of jeans that fit me just right—no wasted living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/when-i-eventually-moved-to-a-smaller-home-it-felt-cozy-like-having-a/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“When I contemplate life as well as death, I am discovering what really matters to me now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/when-i-contemplate-life-as-well-as-death-i-am-discovering-what-really/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“A paradigm shift of viewing palliative care or hospice as a gift instead of seeing it as giving up has the potential to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/a-paradigm-shift-of-viewing-palliative-care-or-hospice-as-a-gift/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“In the process of decluttering things in my life, I was peeling off the layers of my past that no longer mattered to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/in-the-process-of-decluttering-things-in-my-life-i-was-peeling-off/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“As I inch forward to embrace my life again by being mindful, writing books, and planning adventures, I sense my dad would approve. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/as-i-inch-forward-to-embrace-my-life-again-by-being-mindful-writing/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“My choice of a lighter lifestyle has brought me a greater sense of well-being. In a world that often seems stressful and chaotic, that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/my-choice-of-a-lighter-lifestyle-has-brought-me-a-greater-sense-of/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“I felt myself in a sticky spot as a daughter and desperately needed a third party, such as a doctor, to address his declining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-felt-myself-in-a-sticky-spot-as-a-daughter-and-desperately-needed-a/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“Decluttering and downsizing before I am forced to do so also means my kids will have less work and stress when I reach old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/decluttering-and-downsizing-before-i-am-forced-to-do-so-also-means-my/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“By seizing every opportunity for kindness, forgiveness, healing, and love that crosses my path each day, I hope that my death, although perhaps sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/by-seizing-every-opportunity-for-kindness-forgiveness-healing-and/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“Clutter may rob us of the life we imagined or prevent us from creating a new vision for our future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/clutter-may-rob-us-of-the-life-we-imagined-or-prevent-us-from/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

> [“I believe one of the most important reasons I am here today is to practice forgiveness and to learn the power of it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-believe-one-of-the-most-important-reasons-i-am-here-today-is-to/)

[Lisa J. Shultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

[Explore all 37 Lisa J. Shultz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/)

## More Eleventh hour quotes

> [The very thing that drives you, can drive you insane Got a head full of thought crimes and a number with no name Got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/the-very-thing-that-drives-you-can-drive-you-insane-got-a-head-full/)

[Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/)

> [All the people of all the nations which had fought in the First World War were silent during the eleventh minute of the eleventh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/all-the-people-of-all-the-nations-which-had-fought-in-the-first-world/)

[Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/)

> [Eight full lives,” I whispered against his jaw, my voice breaking. “Eight full lives and I never found anyone I would stay on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/eight-full-lives-i-whispered-against-his-jaw-my-voice-breaking-eight/)

[Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/)

> [God is the hardest taskmaster I have known on this earth and He tries you through and through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/god-is-the-hardest-taskmaster-i-have-known-on-this-earth-and-he-tries/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“There is no eleventh hour with Cosmic Ordering, only the golden hour.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/there-is-no-eleventh-hour-with-cosmic-ordering-only-the-golden-hour/)

[Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/)

> [“servants, in the extravagance of their leisure, were profaning the tables.  The heat was insufferable and I thought with joy of the morrow, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/servants-in-the-extravagance-of-their-leisure-were-profaning-the/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [“Eight full lives,” I whispered against his jaw, my voice breaking. “Eight full lives and I never found anyone I would stay on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephenie-meyer/eight-full-lives-i-whispered-against-his-jaw-my-voice-breaking-eight-2/)

[Stephenie Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephenie-meyer/)

> [I, who cannot stay in my chamber for a single day without acquiring some rust, and when sometimes I have stolen forth for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-who-cannot-stay-in-my-chamber-for-a-single-day-without-acquiring/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“The indolent old man hopes that his death is still a long way off. But repentance and remorse belong to the eternal in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/the-indolent-old-man-hopes-that-his-death-is-still-a-long-way-off-but/)

[Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/)

> [Woody Harrelson played a long-term love interest of Debra Messing's; I think it was for a whole season. They almost cast Nick in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mullally/woody-harrelson-played-a-long-term-love-interest-of-debra-messing-s-i/)

[Megan Mullally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mullally/)

> [I remember I would always study at the eleventh hour, but still manage to get good marks. I was very active in sports, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-dhupia/i-remember-i-would-always-study-at-the-eleventh-hour-but-still-manage/)

[Neha Dhupia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-dhupia/)

> [“Demosthenes, the great Athenian patriot, cried out to his countrymen when they seemed too confused and divided to stand against the tyranny of Macedonia:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-kirk/demosthenes-the-great-athenian-patriot-cried-out-to-his-countrymen/)

[russell kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-kirk/)

> [Now, the question of the hour is, "Who's got the Pandorica?" Answer: I do. Next question: Who's coming to take it from me? Come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-smith/now-the-question-of-the-hour-is-who-s-got-the-pandorica-answer-i-do/)

[Matt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-smith/)

> [There is a lot of management going on with directing. Maybe that was the biggest surprise-just the amount of tending that I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kaufman/there-is-a-lot-of-management-going-on-with-directing-maybe-that-was/)

[Charlie Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kaufman/)

> [However, the eleventh-hour nature of these changes left us frustrated and angry — because they prevent us from telling the best stories we can.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/however-the-eleventh-hour-nature-of-these-changes-left-us-frustrated/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 29 Eleventh hour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eleventh-hour/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“I entered the picture in the eleventh hour as a guide to the exit of his life. I navigated as best I could the role of end-of-life shepherd—a journey that I had never taken before. I have to forgive myself for what I did not know. And I have to forgive him for the times that he felt unequipped to deal with the unknown.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lisa J. Shultz"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-hour-as-a-guide-to-the-exit-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Eleventh hour"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-hour-as-a-guide-to-the-exit-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/lisa-j-shultz-17419_eleventh-hour_i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-ho_1306649.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/lisa-j-shultz-17419_eleventh-hour_i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-ho_1306649.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f04/lisa-j-shultz-17419_eleventh-hour_i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-ho_1306649.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I entered the picture in the eleventh hour as a guide to the exit of his life. I navigated as best I could…” — Lisa J. Shultz",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Lisa J. Shultz",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-j-shultz/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“I entered the picture in the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-hour-as-a-guide-to-the-exit-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-j-shultz/i-entered-the-picture-in-the-eleventh-hour-as-a-guide-to-the-exit-of/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
