15 Comments
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Judith Buckman's avatar

This was beautiful and sweet and funny and poignant…thank you for sharing❤️❤️

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Charlotte W's avatar

Beautiful ( and funny ) as always. Of course I cried 🥹

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Cindy G's avatar

So moving. I’m teared up. Thanks for sharing.

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Jann Nunn's avatar

So grateful you are still kicking and making this planet a better place for the rest of us. Onward!

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Chuck's avatar

Mark: Glad all went well. We would miss your accidental wisdom. Chuck

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Greg Linn's avatar

Hey Mark, this piece is really beautiful and heartfelt. You strike a perfect tone of warmth, caring and appreciation without being corny or cliched. Please keep sharing your wonderful writing.

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Mark Rothschild's avatar

Thanks Greg! I so appreciate this.

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Neural Foundry's avatar

Brillaint piece on confronting mortality. The line about scheduling death versus knowing it abstractly cuts straight to something we all avoid thinking about. I remmeber when my grandmother had surgery scheduled and that waiting period felt suspended in time, like everything became both urgent and meaningless at once. Writing the letter wasnt about dying at all but claiming what matters before the moment chooses for you.

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Mark Rothschild's avatar

Thanks for your comments and your terrific observation about time being "both urgent and meaningless at once." Well said.

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gordon edes's avatar

First, so happy you're still among us. Second, you should submit this to the New Yorker for publication. It's that good. Desperately funny and wise and terribly moving (Desperate? Terrible? Odd choice of adjectives, but you get the point.) My tear ducts are dry, but not for a lack of trying.

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Mark Rothschild's avatar

Thanks so much Gordon. Happy to be here as well!

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Rhoda Kamin's avatar

Well, Mark. You’ve done it again! I read it alone, twice. Next, I read it aloud to my husband. Then we both cried. You nailed some complicated emotions that ring true for your readers, especially because we knew how truly they rang for you.

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Mark Rothschild's avatar

Thanks Rhoda! Sorry/Happy to make you both cry.

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Lisa's avatar

This piece is so beautifully written. Thanks for sharing. I love the way you write.

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Mark Rothschild's avatar

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Lisa, so happy you liked it.

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