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• Foreword: Explains the genesis of this book, identifies previously published material and new material, and highlights issues that are addressed in each of the chapters. Chapter One: Describes a father's grief journey that is initiated by the death of his son, raising many questions and an anger reflected in the poem. Chapter Two: Explores the theme of mortality, as in the one-act play where a man who is not prepared to die objects when an angel of death comes for him. Chapter Three: Describes how two parents grieve by inventing rituals and searching for other meaningful activities to help them heal from the unexpected death of their child. Chapter Four: Discusses a point in a father's grief journey where he has been influenced by the stories of others and begins to accept his child's death. Chapter Five: Examines responses to an expected death and explains how knowing that someone is dying does not diminish the sense of loss when the person dies. Chapter Six: Explains how an awareness of death does not have to lead to despair but can become a critical factor for enhancing one's quality of life. Chapter Seven: Describes a bittersweet quality about aging - although people lose physical and mental abilities, they may use life experiences to gain a better perspective. Chapter Eight: Discusses reasons why human beings need to consciously work on being prepared for their own death intellectually and spiritually and explores what such preparation involves. Afterword: Consists of comments from well-known people just before they died.

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• Foreword: Explains the genesis of this book, identifies previously published material and new material, and highlights issues that are addressed in each of the chapters. Chapter One: Describes a father's grief journey that is initiated by the death of his son, raising many questions and an anger reflected in the poem. Chapter Two: Explores the theme of mortality, as in the one-act play where a man who is not prepared to die objects when an angel of death comes for him. Chapter Three: Describes how two parents grieve by inventing rituals and searching for other meaningful activities to help them heal from the unexpected death of their child. Chapter Four: Discusses a point in a father's grief journey where he has been influenced by the stories of others and begins to accept his child's death. Chapter Five: Examines responses to an expected death and explains how knowing that someone is dying does not diminish the sense of loss when the person dies. Chapter Six: Explains how an awareness of death does not have to lead to despair but can become a critical factor for enhancing one's quality of life. Chapter Seven: Describes a bittersweet quality about aging - although people lose physical and mental abilities, they may use life experiences to gain a better perspective. Chapter Eight: Discusses reasons why human beings need to consciously work on being prepared for their own death intellectually and spiritually and explores what such preparation involves. Afterword: Consists of comments from well-known people just before they died.

Select Guide Rating

• Foreword: Explains the genesis of this book, identifies previously published material and new material, and highlights issues that are addressed in each of the chapters. Chapter One: Describes a father's grief journey that is initiated by the death of his son, raising many questions and an anger reflected in the poem. Chapter Two: Explores the theme of mortality, as in the one-act play where a man who is not prepared to die objects when an angel of death comes for him. Chapter Three: Describes how two parents grieve by inventing rituals and searching for other meaningful activities to help them heal from the unexpected death of their child. Chapter Four: Discusses a point in a father's grief journey where he has been influenced by the stories of others and begins to accept his child's death. Chapter Five: Examines responses to an expected death and explains how knowing that someone is dying does not diminish the sense of loss when the person dies. Chapter Six: Explains how an awareness of death does not have to lead to despair but can become a critical factor for enhancing one's quality of life. Chapter Seven: Describes a bittersweet quality about aging - although people lose physical and mental abilities, they may use life experiences to gain a better perspective. Chapter Eight: Discusses reasons why human beings need to consciously work on being prepared for their own death intellectually and spiritually and explores what such preparation involves. Afterword: Consists of comments from well-known people just before they died.