Grace and Courage at the End of Life

Grace and Courage at the End of Life

Dave Shiflett's account of caring for his Dad was a moving reminder of the worth and meaning that can come from suffering.

Your article was published one week after my dad turned 90. Dave Shiflett's father and my father's approach to debilitating illness reinforced what was said of them and their brothers in arms who heroically fought in the Pacific during World War II, "Uncommon valor was a common virtue." I continue to witness that uncommon valor daily as my father, paralyzed, without the ability to speak, refuses to give up on life.

My father was the first one to accept his need to be in a nursing home. And my mother learned to accept their new reality as well. Together they fought to carve out a routine of living, even experiencing great moments of simple joy, in a place much maligned by society: a nursing home. She takes him for long walks in the fresh air. They watch their favorite programs and do simple children's puzzles together to pass the time. Sometimes, there are activities or visitors, but most of the time it is just the two of them.

My mother considers each day a gift—precious days to be with the man she loves. Her prayer before she goes to bed each night? "Dear God, let me live just one hour longer than him; let me be there for him in all ways for always."

Mary M. Glaser

Simsbury, Conn.