Hi, Page - glad I hung in past those first few lines:)

This is something I have engaged with in company with others and now find myself dealing with my own mortality more often.   Your post is full of impacting statements, but the following seemed to sum up an important point:  "To be certain there are things that are way beyond our control. Our mortality is one of those. But our humanity is under our influence, and how we spend the moments doled out to us are ours to manage, to spend and to embrace."

I remember reading Viktor Frankl for the first time long ago, which led me to deeply question, for the first time, the powerful role of choice in how we live our lives.   Aging is "not for sissies", as they say, and much of what happens as we grow older and closer to our end that is not directly controlled by us.

However, what goes on in our mind and our heart is always very much within our control and that can make a huge difference in the impact of an event.

I sometimes think about how I would like to have my grandchildren react to my eminent departure from the planet ... not to be morbid, but to practice how to help them navigate what is, after all, just part of the life cycle.

Cue "The Circle of Life" and get those lions up on the cliff:) ...

Thanks for a thoughtful and useful post.

John