ABSTRACT
Vigilance serves as a metaphor for altering Western denial about death and craziness of trying to beat death at all costs. With the common people, death is as natural a part of life as being born. Expanded psychological awareness about dying and death can foster the best. Instead of only focusing on coping after a significant death and with how to pick up the pieces, we can also heed Martin Heidegger’s call to anticipate death’s visit. “Vigilance” exemplifies death’s many interpersonal, familial, social connecting bonds. The “hour” of death and its aftermath is, a family affair. A thoroughgoing, integrated, and comprehensive picture of mum’s death must acknowledge contemporaries, predecessors, and successors. Harold Ivan Smith canvases the entire ballpark. Mother’s death in the most mundane matters, he reminds us, scrambles our schedules, priorities, agendas, and commitments.
