What Is Your Epitaph?

The other day I was asked to write an epitaph for a relative, just one sentence summing up a human life. I couldn’t imagine him without his books so I came up with three alternatives: “An indomitable reader, he has found a quieter library”; “He loved books more than people”; and “He died to save the library fines”. […]

Old Age Should Burn And Rave At Close Of Day

Saturday morning I received an email informing me that one of my favorite clients had died during the night.  While not completely unexpected, as he had been seriously ill with cancer, the news was jarring.  I was suddenly glad that recently he had not wanted to see any visitors.  I wanted to remember him as […]

Dying To Die Well

I was in my late 40’s before I saw someone die for the first time.  I subsequently learnt that this is not unusual.  In the first half of the last century most people died at home surrounded by family members.  Now, most of our adult life passes without personal contact with someone who is dying.  […]