Mothering my dying friend

The New York Times is carrying a revealing, moving story by Catherine Newman called "Mothering my Dying Friend." In it, Ms. Newman describes what it was like for her and other loved ones of her friend Ali, while Ali was dying of cancer.  There is real value in reading a story like this in which you can see how people go through a veritable hurricane of activity and emotion, all in support of and reaction to the inevitable death of someone precious to them. You realize that all of the mixed feelings you've experienced have also happened to others. Because I have been through the palliative care stage with both of my parents, both of whom died of cancer, aspects of this story really hit home for me. It also reminded me that although I usually blog about the money and property and legalities involved in somebody's passing, the people left behind are grieving the person, not the estate.  Click here to read the article.