18 January 2007

Longtime Pulitzer prize winning columunist and humorist Art Buchwald died today here in Washington. I'n not ashamed to say the news truly made me sad. I didn't know him personally, but he seemed like a truly wonderful person.

I really didn't start reading his columns until last year when he wrote about confronting death. See, Buchwald refused dialysis treatments for his failing kidneys and was expected to die within weeks of moving to a hospice last February. But he did so well--they released him. He lived to return home to write about life and death and even write a book about his experiences called "Too Soon to Say Goodbye."

As David Von Drehle of the Washington Post wrote today: "For most people, dying is a milestone. For Buchwald, it was fresh material." You should read Von Drehle's tribute to Buchwald--what an interesting life.

Editor & Publisher released Buchwald's final column today--only to be released upon his death. It's quite moving--and inspiring. Check it out HERE.

I don't know what drew me to this man: His sense of humor. His varied life experiences. His braveness. His love of family, friends...food. His absolute insistence that he live and die on his own terms. Maybe it's deeper than that. Maybe it's because my first real experience with death was with the loss of my father. Maybe it's because my grandmother--whom I'm very close to-- is 90 and has failing kidneys. Who knows. But I think I'll read Mr. Buchwald's book--and hope he and my dad get to know each other up in heaven.