Richard you've touched on a lot of what life is about. It seems the older we get the more death we face. Our coping skills are individualized and not something we learned in college. Of course Elizabeth Kubler-Ross has come the closet to helping with her book On Death and Dying. But nothing prepares us for the deep inner loss of a spouse, close family member or friend. I've lost my wife and a daughter, plus many others. The transition to living without them never seems to get easy. I've coped by managing the triggers which cause me to stop mid stream and shed a tear. Thanks for the article. Your words are comforting. Lee