Death and Dying

Last night Donald Sensing at One Hand Clapping posted an excellent story about death and dying. I've been wanting to comment on it, but really haven't been able to come up with coherent thoughts to express - read the article, then come back here.

So what to think? My view is probably still a little skewed as I'm still young enough to fear both death and dying. I know that some older folks are "ready" to die, but that idea is just simply foreign to me right now. I have too much that I want to do with my life. Maybe in 50 years when I've accomplished more I'll feel the same as them, but not now.

But, if I have to go, make it quick. I don't want to spend my life hooked up to machines with people coming in to pity me. I don't want to end up in an Alzheimer’s home, where people come by to visit "when they can." To prolong biological life by merely existing and providing carbon dioxide for a tree somewhere - that's just not for me. If I have to exist without life - pull the plug. I fear death, but not what's on the other side.

I can only hope to be as lucky as James in Mr. Sensing's essay. Not for the way he died, but for the way he lived. If I can make to 84 and still be driving myself around to help others - well that would just about the perfect script for the later years of a life. You only get one shot at life. Like James did, you have to make the most of it.

Hopefully that made a little bit of sense - like I said, it's been hard for me to construct a coherent thought on the subject to express how I truly feel. Now that I've let you in on my greatest fears outside of needles, I'll go back to finding a politician to rip on.