Many people cling very tightly to life. They refuse to let go of it, and hold onto a shred of life beyond all reasonable expectations. And then there are others.

There was an old man, lying in the bed in the back bedroom, surrounded by his wife, daughter, and his four granddaughters. His breath was coming slowly, almost in sighs, and the time between the sighs was stretching to longer and longer periods.

Finally, when the silence had stretched to an unbearable length, the youngest granddaughter threw herself on the bed and cried, "Oh, Grandpa, Grandpa. Don't leave us," and then she began to cry loudly.

Her grandfather slowly moved his hand to pat her arm, then took a deep breath and said, "Let me go. It's peaceful there."

Many people are very much like the youngest granddaughter, cling…