ABSTRACT
As we age, loss in all forms multiplies. Thus, it's more important than ever to understand it, expect it, and deal with it successfully. Denial cannot be an aspect of it. Many Japanese people, in collusion with doctors, will not tell a family member who has the disease that they have a deadly form of cancer. They use euphemisms and sometimes outright lies to try to ease the pain. And we often lie to each other about the severity of an impeding loss or its inevitability. It's quite true that some losses are irreplaceable, but it's equally true that the temporary vacuum can be filled once again with fresh air. A vast difference in people's ability and effectiveness as they age is in the way they react to pain and suffering. People with diseases, illnesses, stark disadvantages, and surprising setbacks have chosen not to suffer, despite the pain.
