My dad recently turned 80. Of all the things swirling in my head to write about for this column, that fact--he--surpasses them all. There's a theme here--of our relationship, and the main theme of his life, although like any other human he contains multitudes.

I have been following the story of Ben Sasse, the former Republican senator from Nebraska who is my age and recently found out he is dying from pancreatic cancer. I watched his interview a couple of weeks ago with Ross Douthat and another last week with Scott Pelley. I think those close to death often have something to say about living that is worth our consideration. And Sasse, in a baseball cap, with his red blistered face from whatever horrific treatment is keeping him alive for the moment, offers valuable and inspiring insights. It was Pelley, however, who brought me to tears.

In the lead-up to a question for Sasse, he told a story about the moment on 9/11 when he felt certain he was going to die. Pelley lost his composure when he said that of all the things that make up his life--a good, busy, fulfilling life--there was one thing and one thing only on his mind: the people he loves.

This is like my dad. I don't know if he........

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