Did you see the moving interview that Patrick Swayze did with Barbara Walters this week? It was painful to watch, and inspiring all at the same time. Swayze is facing his cancer demons head on, yet not willing to give in and relent to them. He is waging a war against a very lethal disease until, he says, he feels the battle is no longer worth fighting.

What I found so powerful in this interview with him and his wife were their emotions, body language and facial expressions. Each movement Swayze and his wife make sends a message. Each movement, each expression, because their emotions are so intense, tells you what is coming before the words are spoken. You see their thoughts on their face before they say a thing. You see and feel a deep anger, and fear. You see and feel courage, happiness, and love. You also see a tension in Swayze that is undeniable. It’s gut-wrenching because it is so real and so raw.

This is one interview where you can really work at understanding two true and honest souls. In this video, they are an excellent pair to study the intricacies of human behavior. Facing mortality, both of these people are trying to accept what is, and do the best they can in an admittedly horrible situation. They go from hope and expectations to accepting the reality of what the future will bring. They wince at the thoughts as they come to mind. Who wouldn’t in a time like this? It’s a balance I don’t think anyone can fully understand and appreciate until they themselves stand on that pronounced yet teetering ground of life versus death — yet through their emotions and expressions, they give us a window into their world and an inkling of what it must be like.

I wish Patrick Swayze and his family peace in this difficult time, the strength and courage to move forward. I want to thank him, too, for standing up and saying what is on his mind, and sharing with everyone his true and honest thoughts. It takes guts and a stable emotional state to level in a time of your life when you are dying.