I don't do much of the work in caring for my mother-in-law. My wife Christina is so competent, and I feel more-or-less useless. But once a day, Christina takes the neighbor's dogs for a walk in the woods, and I'm left alone with my mother-in-law. In the quiet, I listen to her breathe, and sometimes she cries out. She's on morphine now, almost finished on her journey. But a few moments ago she was distraught, and trying to say something in her half-sleep. I went and sat next to her, not knowing what to do. So, I sang "I'll Fly Away" with tears in my eyes, hardly able to sing. She must have likde it, because she settled down and she's peaceful now.

It reminds me of the first time I sang that song here in this house. Christina's husband Jim was one of my best friends, and he was dying of colon cancer in 2001. I came here every few weeks while he was dying. Three weeks before he died, we sat on a park bench by the pond outside, and we sang "I'll Fly Away" together. A little while later, Jim took my harmonica from me and played "I'll Fly Away" beautifully. I sang that song at his funeral. I can't believe I got through it without breaking down in tears.

May my dear friend and mother-in-law fly away in peace to a better place, where she can fly with the angels. I've learned a lot from her and from Jim on their journeys toward death.

-Joe-