Dying from Living

Near the end of Willa Cather's novel, 
"Death Comes for the Archbishop," 

one of the missionaries has grown old and frail.  

He catches a chill, which will take his life.

But the old missionary has a broader perspective

than this most recent illness.

In Cather's words:

"The old man smiled. 'I shall not die of a cold . . .

I shall die of having lived.'"