On this week’s episode, Richard details his wife Marcia’s experience with metastatic pancreatic cancer and their conversations about illness, death and dying, which Richard compares to jumping into water: “You go under water for a while, and then you surface.” The aesthetics and flow of water, which Marcia loved, proved a vital resource in their life, love and journey together. The imagery of a “smooth river” became symbolic of their approach to Marcia’s cancer and end of life. It brought calmness, openness and a sense of direction to their dialogues and their insistence on living in the present. A guiding force, the smooth river also serves as the namesake of Richard’s forthcoming book, The Smooth River: Finding Inspiration and Exquisite Beauty during Terminal Illness. Learn more at smoothriver.org.
