A not uncommon question, when chatting with friends these days, is: “Did you watch Bill Moyers’ TV program about dying?” A conversation, if not a controversy, is likely to follow.

Our mortality is inevitable, talking about it is not. Mr. Moyers has certainly opened the subject to discussion. But is that necessary or desirable?

The comments I have heard about the program have run the full gamut from “Wasn’t it marvelous! I taped the entire series so the whole family can watch it again,” to “I made sure I didn’t see it—I knew it would be much too depressing.”

“On Our Own Terms” certainly had long passages of both marvel and depression.

Mr. Moyers has been quoted as saying that the series was intended to help people “get ready for the journey of death as they would prepare for any other trip.” Make preparations—have your wishes made known to your family in advance, including pain alleviation and prolongation of life.

I am reminded of a suggestion made by a psychologist concerning the possible death of a child’s pet dog or cat. Because children bond so permanently with animals, he advised parents to prepare the youngster for the possible death of Spot or Tabby. The trauma could be devastating to an unsuspecting child.

Contemplation of our own death and that of a child’s pet are certainly not the same. But in either case, mortality does not lend itself to understanding. Dying is as personal and individualistic as living. As the TV program suggested, even our own best made plans for the final days and hours may not go at all as wished for. In most instances, the question “why” goes unanswered.

I have been taught that death is part of life, the ongoing process of eternity. As much as I try to accept and understand “forever,” I have never been able to really comprehend it. I do understand, however, that death comes at any age. Our beloved grandson died when just seven months old. My wife’s grandfather died at 97, spry and alert, survivor of three wives—killed in an automobile accident.

For many, living is more of a problem than dying. While we do not look forward to lingering, disabling final days, many people are disappointed to awake to another morning. Contemplation of a lonely, depressing 24 hours is more traumatic than the contemplation of peaceful death. In my professional career, I have heard as many people who are seriously ill say “I want to die” as those who say “I want to live.”

The TV series has aroused conversation about death, our own and loved ones. It is well. I would hope that a similar series, with as much fanfare and promotion as this one, can focus on how we instill living into life—living with living. Though death may come after considerable contemplation, or in an unsuspecting moment, life is a process often experienced for years, decades. How do we put it to good use, for ourselves and others?

That is the challenge.

I spoke to a dear friend in the past day or so, someone confined to a hospital bed much of the time. In pain and so very uncomfortable. And she called me on the telephone to find out how I was doing. How was your summer, she asked. How is the family, what new projects have you got going, what’s exciting. She added, “I wanted to let you know I still love you.”

Who takes care of who? How do we show our love from day to day? How do we live so that the world is just a smidgen better for us being here—as long as that may be?

Thank you, Mr. Moyers, you have stirred our contemplations of both death and life.