Ready to die ?

My 95 year old dad has been in hospital for just over a month now and everytime I visit him he becomes frailer although he remains in good spirits. He's very deaf so our conversations tend to be difficult - and overheard by the other patients and visitors in his ward. Not that it matters of course, although we did have one conversation about his bowel habits which may not have best pleased his neighbours!

When I visited yesterday he said, out of the blue, that he was ready to die. Mind you, he has been one of those lucky souls who has never had any serious illness in his life so it came as something of a surprise to me. Although he spent six years in India as a young soldier during the 1930s he has never embraced any religion (eastern or western) so it's interesting to me that he can be at peace with himself without it. Then again, why should we assume that those without a religious committment can't find tranquility as their lives come to an end ?