Diane seems like such an unusually strong woman with an amazing support network. How can other people hope to emulate her?
Diane tried to live consciously and attentively, a path anyone can follow. Diane had a gift for friendships, and she put a lot of effort into developing her relationship skills. Her ability to listen deeply was one of the reasons people related to her so easily. When she knew her time was limited, she made choices that gave her enough physical and mental energy to nourish all her important relationships. But Diane was not a saint—she could be judgmental and demanding. She sometimes struggled emotionally and spiritually. She shared some of these struggles in her journals and correspondence, accepting her feelings of sadness, resentment, or crabbiness. She grieved leaving Bill and missing their grandchildren growing up. Although Diane and Bill were professionals, they had spent so many years working in poor countries and helping the underserved nationwide that they had only modest financial resources. When Diane’s cancer metasticized, they withdrew a portion of her retirement account so
