John my thoughts are with you and your family...I have been there same situation.... with both my parents and my younger brother. Although I do not believe in an afterlife or creator I still think that there is a purpose to our lives...that is to make the world a better place and to help our species survive and evolve into something more benevolent and caring than previously existed...I am not too distant from most religious people with my views on good V evil ...execpt for the dogma.....which I have little time for.