At last death came. It was merciful and beautiful; without pain, at home, surrounded by his loved ones, conscious, at peace, and ready. He told us he loved us, turned to his doctor and said, “I’m ready, ” and one minute later he was gone–“into the mystic.” This epitaph by Meritt Malloy was read at his celebration of life. In the days that followed I often read it to myself as I tried to understand “what had died, and what remained?”