I have watched five elderly relatives, including my parents, pass away in nursing homes the last few years. This cartoon brought back the sense of sorrow I felt when I perceived their awareness, upon entering that last door, that their lives were nearly done, and that, as the song says, “You’ve got to cross that lonesome valley / You’ve got to cross it by yourself. / There ain’t no one can cross it for you / You’ve got to cross it by yourself.” Believe what you want about an afterlife. The end of a person’s lifetime is a poignant experience for those who witness it. To “rage against the dying of the light” is a poetic concept, but it’s an ignoble way to go. Well, my time is coming, and how will I do it?
I have watched five elderly relatives, including my parents, pass away in nursing homes the last few years. This cartoon brought back the sense of sorrow I felt when I perceived their awareness, upon entering that last door, that their lives were nearly done, and that, as the song says, “You’ve got to cross that lonesome valley / You’ve got to cross it by yourself. / There ain’t no one can cross it for you / You’ve got to cross it by yourself.” Believe what you want about an afterlife. The end of a person’s lifetime is a poignant experience for those who witness it. To “rage against the dying of the light” is a poetic concept, but it’s an ignoble way to go. Well, my time is coming, and how will I do it?