Click on image to enlarge.

	Regular				Club
You Pay:	$0.69				$0.59

eBook Category: Science Fiction Analog Reader's Choice Award Nominee
eBook Description: When a dear friend is struck with a degenerative disease, you would expect their life to end, but Mary wouldn't let that happen to her and, through sheer will, she achieved a measure of electronic immortality.

eBook Publisher: Fictionwise.com, Published: Analog, 1994
Fictionwise Release Date: July 2002

25 Reader Ratings: Great Good OK Poor

Available eBook Formats [MultiFormat - What's this?]: Adobe Acrobat (PDF) [65 KB], eReader (PDB) [29 KB], Palm Doc (PDB) [16 KB], Rocket/REB1100 (RB) [14 KB], Microsoft Reader (LIT) [66 KB] - PocketPC 1.0+ Compatible, Franklin eBookMan (FUB) [87 KB], hiebook (KML) [61 KB], Sony Reader (LRF) [42 KB], iSilo (PDB) [13 KB], Mobipocket (PRC) [16 KB], Kindle Compatible (MOBI) [44 KB], OEBFF Format (IMP) [24 KB]
Words: 4791
Reading time: 13-19 min.
Microsoft Reader (LIT) Format: Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud ENABLED
Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Format:  Printing DISABLED, Read-Aloud DISABLED
All Other formats: Printing DISABLED, Read-aloud DISABLED

Did you ever think of what immortality would mean? I'm not talking about the religious meaning of immortality, you understand. I mean the day-to-day eternal persistence of your presence in the course of human events.

For most of us, however, the only form of immortality we'll achieve is through our children; those genetic monuments we build, nurture, and launch into the future. At some base level our heritage will go on, encased in ragged jeans, no doubt.

Sure, some of us achieve some sort of immortality through our accomplishments that will guide, influence, and move generations unborn. LeCorbusier's designs will continue to influence people for a few more centuries, von Neuman's computer legacy will last longer, and Einstein's astounding insights will hold our interest for a millennium. I could bring up old Bach's achievements, but that would be too embarrassing to everyone else.

Then there's the great deeds category with such notables as Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, and assorted philosophers and statesmen whose memes permeate our society to such an extent that we aren't even aware of their influence. Some are recognizable, most are not.

Notwithstanding that, most of us dwell, at one time or another, on the fourth kind; the prospect of living beyond our normal span of fourscore and five, not as some abstract monument but as living, participating members of humanity's struggles. Some of the more sensible of us lose these thoughts when we approach middle age and face up to the reality of what we are and what life holds out for us.