I have a very good friend whom I have known for over 45 years. She was hospitalized yesterday and was in critical condition with pneumonia. As she has only one sort-of-good lung this is bad for her.

I spent time trying to figure out if I could get to when she is - but with it being Spring break - there were few flights available and they were almost $2,000 RT [for a flight that normally costs max $400 RT].

But her family asked that no one come while she is in the hospital as she is being cared for - so some will go after she is home...but the whole day left me wiped out from the idea of the potential loss of a good friend who is more like family than my actual family [except my son]

We all die - that is a given once we are born - but few of us like to face the reality when it's close to home. I teach and write about aging and always talk about dying as a part of the process. I will now have to re-assess my feelings about what I write and what I say on the topic.