Read Mark Pickup's latest blog "The Language Police" at http://markpickup.org
Friday, April 16, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Today is the tomorrow I feared yesterday
Since becoming a grandparent I have been annoying friends with pictures of my grandchildren. In fact, at one point I sent so many photos by email to my friend Bob Schindler (father of Terri Schiavo) the sheer volume crashed his computer! After apologizing profusely, I decided to take the hint and scale back on my grandfatherly email boasting.Yes, being a grandparent is proving to be one of the best and happiest phases of my life and that brings me to the point of this short blog.
I have had an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis for 26 years. In the early yearsafter being diagnosed, I was often affected by a series of terrifying roller coaster rides of MS attacks. I would go to bed at night not knowing what function I would wake up with or without. It was horrible! At times it was only the very real presence of Christ in my life and the love of my family that sustained me.
If I had despaired of life, and if assisted suicide had been available (like in Oregon and Washington state), and if I had taken that option, ... look what I would have missed! My five grandchildren bring me unspeakable joy and happiness.
My annoying people with emailed pictures of my grandchildren is really just another way for me to say I am able to celebrate life in all its stages, phases and eventualities despite a disease that is slowly destroying me. My disease and electric wheelchair can not take away my joy.
Euthanasia and assisted suicide acceptance is often fuelled by fear of the future. But today is the tomorrow I feared yesterday. My todays are filled with the only thing that ultimately matters in life: love.
Euthanasia not only kills people it kills the potential to love and be loved.
MP