Chapter 6 "Preparing for Travel or Change" Summary and Analysis

Dying people know they are dying—even if well-meaning doctors or family members deliberately withhold this information from them. They usually attempt to communicate this information to their loved ones by the use of symbolic language or metaphors such as getting ready to travel. Often, they are seeking validation for their feelings. For example, Dick, a fifty-five-year-old retired postman, liked to spend his free time sailing with his wife, Ruth. He was subsequently diagnosed with metastasized pancreatic cancer and within a few months was nearing death. Soon, he was too sick to continue visiting the sailboat at the marina. One evening, he casually inquired about the tides, and within a few days, he died. His inquiry, apparently a random question, signaled his readiness for death.

Often, families are...