Preparing for Death

When I was told that I had six months, or perhaps nine, to live, first reaction was naturally of shock -though I also felt liberated, because, as in limited-over cricket, at least one knew the target one had to get. My second reaction was ‘Gosh, six months is a long time. One can do a lot in that. How am I going to use it? The initial response is to give up doing things - and it certainly sifts out the inessentials.

My reaction was to go through the diary cancelling engagements. But I soon realised that this was purely…