Could I Rest My Soul Here?
This reflection is part of an ongoing series about how The Comfort Project came to be and what we've learned while supporting people pursuing Medical Aid in Dying in Vermont.
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Sometimes people reach out to us because they are trying to imagine what a Medical Aid in Dying experience might actually feel like.
Not legally.
Not medically.
But humanly.
They are asking themselves questions such as:
"Is it worth traveling to Vermont for this?"
"Who will be there with me?"
"Where would I stay and will I be comfortable?"
Here in Vermont, we searched high and low for places, homes away from home, that were comfortable, accessible, conveniently located, and welcoming to people pursuing Medical Aid in Dying.
Finding all of those qualities in one place proved surprisingly difficult.
Then something unexpected happened.
On New Year's Eve, my husband Ben and I attended a gathering at a new friend's home. The moment I walked through the door, I had no idea I was stepping into an important part of The Comfort Project's future.
Our friend is a nurse and caregiver to the dying. Years earlier, she had purchased the property with a vision already living inside her: that one day it could become a place where people might come to die.
Life circumstances changed, and she decided to sell the home.
What struck me wasn't simply the house itself.
It was the feeling that it was quietly waiting for the right people and the right moment to fulfill its purpose.
Its purpose was simple:
To provide comfort.
Our friend's vision wasn't disappearing.
It was continuing.
With the support of Daniel, who had generously offered to purchase a home for people using Medical Aid in Dying, The Comfort Project is now carrying that vision forward.
The house is now called Tranquility House.
We spent months asking questions like:
Could someone in a wheelchair move easily and safely through the house?
Could someone rest comfortably and appreciate the view?
Would family members be just as comfortable staying under the same roof?
Would people feel well cared for here?
With each decision, comfort became something you could walk through, sit on, and share with the people you love.
Now, as we prepare to open Tranquility House, I can picture someone warmed by the fire, surrounded by the people they love, watching the falling, golden leaves float by, hearing the songbirds and the river below, and thinking:
"I can rest my soul here."
Our hope has always been simple.
To create the most comfortable situation we can for our clients and offer it generously.
With care,
Leslie Zucker
Executive Director
The Comfort Project
P.S. If this reflection helped you imagine what comfort might look like at the end of life, we invite you to receive future Comfort Notes and stories from Vermont.
