死ぬ前に残したいメッセージはありますか? 「最期の言葉」として選ばれるのはこんなアドバイス

愛する人から死ぬ間際にメッセージを残されたことがあるだろうか?調査によれば、83%の人が亡くなる前に家族や友人にアドバイスを遺しているという。
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「すべてに飽きてしまったよ」はイギリスの元首相ウィンストン・チャーチル、「もっと光を」はドイツの文豪ゲーテ。著名人の「最期の言葉」はどこか含蓄に富んでいるようであり、長い間語り継がれている。

しかし、最期の言葉を残すのは有名人だけではない。イギリスの葬儀社「パーフェクト・チョイス・フュネラル」が2014年に実施したアンケート調査によれば、家族や友人を失った成人2198名のうち83%の人が、「亡くなった人は亡くなる前に、あなたに何かアドバイスを遺しましたか」という質問に「はい」と答えた。

アドバイスの中身を聞いたところ、下記のような回答が寄せられた(複数回答可)。

1. 人間関係(62%)

2. キャリア(56%)

3. 家庭生活(43%)

4. 教育(39%)

5. お金(32%)

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アンケートは受け手の気持ちも聞いている。大切な家族や友人がなぜそのアドバイスを自分に残したと思うか理由を尋ねたところ、メッセージを残された人たちはこのように感じていた。

1. 自分に幸せになってほしいと思っていたから(29%)

2. 人生を変えてほしいと思っていたから(23%)

3. 過去の過ちを直してほしいと望んでいたから(21%)

4. 人生に後悔してほしくないと思ったから(17%)

5. 教訓を学んでほしいと思ったから(6%)

人間は、死ぬ間際には相手を思いやるメッセージを残すものなのかもしれない。残された人たちにとっても、最期の言葉は重要な意味を持つものになるに違いない。ただ、アドバイスに従って人生を変えたという人もいた一方で、44%と比較的多くの人がアドバイスに従わなかった、もしくは従おうと思ってはいるがまだできていないと答えた。

この記事はハフポストUK版に掲載されたものを翻訳しました。

[日本語版:ガリレオ]

おじいちゃん・おばあちゃんからの結婚アドバイス
1. いつでも抱き合って仲良くしましょう(01 of15)
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\"I\'ve never seen a photo of my grandparents where they weren\'t embracing -- whether it was when they were dating, had five kids under age 8, or just before my grandfather died of cancer. I couldn\'t wait to grow up and have what they had with someone. They were a real life fairy tale.\" - Cari Watts-Savage (credit:Courtesy of Cari Watts-Savage )
2. すべてに同意する必要はありません(02 of15)
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\"My grandparents were married for 65 years until my grandma passed away last summer. Opposite religions, opposite politics and they still made it work. I have a lot to live up to!\" - Clare Dych (credit:Courtesy of Clare Dych)
3. 年の差は関係ありません(03 of15)
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\"I asked my grandma why she married my grandpa who she only dated for one year when she was 18 and he was 31. She answered me, \'Why not? He was hot back then!\' My grandparents weren\'t the lovey-dovey type and actually distant, I think, due to the 13-year age gap. But they didn\'t bail, they\'re faithful, they kept each other for better or worse, in sickness and health, through thick and thin.\" - Tze Tonn Ng (credit:Courtesy of Tze Tonn Ng)
4. 一緒なら、なんだってできます(04 of15)
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\"After 40 years of smoking five packs of cigarettes a day together, they decided to quit with no outside help. And they did. Together.\" - Michelle Brown (credit:Michelle Brown)
5. 「結婚はとても大切なものだ」と考えるようにしましょう(05 of15)
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\"When I got married, my grandmother and grandfather had been married some 68 years. My grandmother gave me her blessings and told me that if I got married, I had to stay married and it was a lifetime commitment.\" - Leslie Johnson (credit:Terry & Leslie Johnson)
6. あなたを笑わせてくれる人と一緒になりなさい(06 of15)
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\"My grandparents were always teasing each other. We all got such a kick out of it growing up, hanging out in their kitchen and listening to them when we were over there for dinner. But it also showed us how important it is to be with someone that you\'ll have fun with, no matter what life may throw at you.\" - Kristen Girone (credit:Courtesy of Kristen Girone)
7. いつまでもいちゃつくのをやめないように(07 of15)
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\"Pinch butts.\" - Sarah Hosseini (credit:Courtesy of Sarah Hosseini)
8. 結婚生活には思ってもいなかったような展開があるかもしれません(08 of15)
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\"My grandparents very much conformed to regular gender roles my entire childhood, but when my grandmom got sick, it was amazing to see my granddad taking care of her and cooking and cleaning. They really proved to me that true love lasts a lifetime and that marriage can last \'until death do you part.\'\" - Carrie Burke (credit:Courtesy of Carrie Burke)
9. おやすみなさいやありがとう。ちょっとした時にキスするのを忘れないで(09 of15)
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\"My maternal grandparents always kiss and say \'I love you\' before they leave and it\'s the first thing they do when they come together again -- whether it\'s a run to the grocery store or a full day\'s work.\" - J. Williams (credit:Courtesy of J. Williams )
10. 想像もしていなかったような人と恋に落ちるかも(10 of15)
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\"I learned that love is unexpected, and anyone can fall in love, even if the relationship is shunned by society. Their love was somewhat reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet in the sense that they were both on different sides of society, but fell in love and had to keep their relationship secret at first.\" - Carter Garcia-Kimura (credit:Courtesy of Carter Garcia-Kimura )
11. 小さな出来事にも喜びを感じるようにしましょう(11 of15)
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\"They found joy in sharing the details of daily living. Always smiling, even when doing the weekly budget or grandma peeling a banana for grandpa because she knew he didn\'t like the feel of it.\" - Kristen Van Orden (credit:Courtesy of Kristen Van Orden)
12. 毎日が順調ではなくてもいいんです(12 of15)
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\"You don\'t have to like each other every day.\" - Nicole Snyder (credit:Courtesy of Nicole Snyder)
13. 結婚生活を長続きさせるには、お互いの努力と歩み寄りが必要(13 of15)
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\"They divorced after three kids and nearly 40 years of marriage, but my grandmother has always told me: A relationship will never work unless [both people] want it to.\" - Mina Barnett\n\n (credit:Mina Barnett)
14. 初恋の人が一番素敵だとは限りません(14 of15)
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\"You might not get things right the first time, but you can\'t give up because it could be the second time that you find true happiness. My grandparents have been together for 25 years and although my grandpa is not my biological one, he is the best thing to happen to our family and I could not love him more.\" - Natasha Baker-Streit\n (credit:Gabriel Harber Photography)
15. 自分が大好きなことは、ずっと続けましょう(15 of15)
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\"They share a sense of humor and make it a priority to do things they enjoy together, even though that has become harder for them with age.\" - Theresa Kelliher (credit:Courtesy of Theresa Kelliher)

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