This has been a month for reflection on death. Besides friends who have had loved ones die, our family lost a beloved uncle at 84 one week, and then Donna lost her father. Then we went back east to attend the funeral for Donna's father at Wetzle Funeral Home - that link should be to the pictures they collected for a slide show. We are carrying his ashes back to Alaska to spread them on his favorite mountain. But while here we also visited my mom and dad in Cape May. We arrived to mom and dad both in serious conditions. But within the three days while there mom had multiple appointments and dad ended up being flown by helicopter to Penn Presbyterian where they inserted a stint. All of this only happened because many family members were deeply involved in trying to do the best for them even though their own lives continued at a frantic pace. It feels wonderful having brothers and sisters / in law and neighbors all pulling together to help mom and dad. At the moment both are feeling much better, but I can't help but worry that this is a temporary fix for both of them. Sigh. What a way to be reminded how mortal we all are. Each day is another in our own temporary lives. For months Donna has been studying angels and experiences of near death in books of all sorts. I have been reading things like the Catholic Catechism, works by Thomas Aquinas, including a new book on him by Denys Turner, and Alister McGrath's Introduction to Theology (I have seriously enjoyed several of his other books especially Dawkins's God. So Donna and I have been interested in the same sorts of things but via different approaches - I think. To add to this - I am the oldest I have ever been! When I read the obits I see at least as many names of people that died younger than I am as people older. (Though Kant's first great book was written when he was my age - 62.) And then we drive through Philadelphia - at rush hour - in a subcompact car. It is so small we had to tow our luggage. Thank goodness they have wheels on them.