[ ] Over the years I detached myself from religion until I became an atheist. Yesterday, I had video contact with friends in the USA and a husband of one, Paul E, an American banjo player with whom I play, has cancer and is very weak. His wife asked us to think of him, which I do all the time, but also to pray for him. I find myself caught between my desire to respond to the request and that of preserving an intellectual honesty that would avoid being confronted with a lie.
JEAN-MARC @ Issue no. 265My dad is dying. It’s cancer. I’m spending as much time with him as I can, but in the absolute terror of it all, I can’t help but crack jokes. And then the guilt takes over. Do you or Susie ever joke or laugh in your grief?
ROGER @ Issue no. 305Not a question at all, I just needed to share. I am currently sat next to my partner (now husband) of 20 years in hospital as he dies of cancer. This is completely out of the blue, having only found out he was so poorly a couple of months ago, and we are both too young to be going through this (I am in my late 30s, he is in his early 50s). It is scary and lonely and so painful to watch. The sense of injustice and unfairness is really strong and so difficult to come to terms with, and I am so scared of being left alone without him. I know there’s nothing you can say to make this better or easier, but I thought you would understand more than anyone else that I know.
EMMA @ Issue no. 376