Merely mortal

Fear of death is rooted in the belief that we are merely mortal.

Attention shoppers!

In Mary Oliver’s arresting phrase, we are customers of death. A recent UK report says how we die is changing, moving from “a family event with occasional medical support, to a medical event with limited family support.”

It’s the little things

David Letterman devoted an hour to his interview with 55-year-old Warren Zevon, who had declined treatment for lung cancer. He asked the singer-songwriter for some words of wisdom. “Enjoy every sandwich,” Zevon said.

Our sweet sadness

It’s the one thing we have in common—we’re all passing away. “Tomorrow you will go away, or I shall, and never shall we see one another again.”

Guy questions

“Was I a man or a jerk?” asked the celebrated author Saul Bellow on his deathbed. This is a classic guy question. The answer to guy questions is typically not either/or but both/and.