Kerrie's grandfather died on Thursday. He was 90. His wife passed away a few months earlier, and he had been blind and ill for several years. He spent the last months of his life in a nursing home. I never knew him well; but from what I've been told, he lived a full life. When the end came, it would seem to have been a blessing. I expect his funeral will bring relief, that he's finally found his way home.

None of us hope for a lingering end. But maybe there's something else to consider. This didn't happen as a sudden tragedy that no one saw coming. Not only was it expected; it was welcome. It has to be easier this way, at least for the family. And maybe that's a final, selfless note to celebrate about a man's life. No one enjoyed knowing that he felt pain; but in this ending, there was no surprise. There may be courage in that.