Every moment is precious. There is so little time: not a day to waste on quarreling with those we love, no time for anything that robs our lives of joy, hope and meaning.

Dialogue with Death is not a book on death and dying. It is a book about life and living: what life is for, who we are as human beings, why we are here.

Yet it is death that forces these questions on us. If we could live forever, there would be little urgency in finding answers. But the fact is that whatever our age or the status of our health, none of us has time to waste in learning what life is for.

We begin to take life seriously when we take death seriously. Otherwise, as Thoreau said, we run the risk of discovering, when we come to die, that we have never lived.

This is not a negative observation. It is completely positive, for it brings life into focus. Fulfilling the purpose of life becomes our overriding priority, and that brings joy, hope, love and meaning to us and to those around us. Let this book be your guide.