The Glass House Retreat
Follow
  • TGHR Blog

Courageous Wings

11/3/2014

2 Comments

 
Picture
This summer I read the book, Me Before You by JoJo Moyes. I read it on the recommendation of my librarian, Joan after I returned the Moyes book, One Plus One. She told me if I liked that Moyes novel, I would LOVE Me Before You.

Joanie warned me it was sad; but not because of a horrible incident (a la Nicholas Sparks, let's say). I was to report back to both she and Lynn (another librarian) on what I thought.

It stays with you.

I have the reading retention rate of a gnat, and yet, the book haunted me in that it asked me to ask myself hard and painful questions about my feelings on death with dignity, something I had not really given a whole lot of thought to.

I thought about myself. I thought about my kids. I thought about other people I loved. And I realized I didn't really have a concrete answer because I am not in that position.

In early October, the story of Brittany Maynard surfaced. A young woman given a devastating death sentence just after New Year's Day this year.
http://youtu.be/yPfe3rCcUeQ
Brittany's story is compelling and heartbreaking and no one else's but hers.

Therefore it became fodder for anyone and everyone on every side of the fence to weigh in. Thankfully on the two videos Brittany posted via the website Compassion and Choices the comments sections were disabled. I shudder to think what the comments would be.

I followed Brittany's story because it followed on the heels of my reading the book. I followed it because it is something that now captures my attention. I followed it because she is so very beautiful and so very sick.

It is the story of a 29 year old being told she WILL die and it will be ugly. It will be painful. Her life will cease to be in her own control.

If we are lucky, we are born into the world surrounded by love.

If we are lucky, we die surrounded by love.

I do not know one person who WANTS to die. I know people who have been diagnosed with diseases that make it happen faster than a "normal" lifespan. And so far, to the best of my knowledge, everyone was able to die the way they wanted to.

But what IF they wanted to chose their death date.

A reverse scheduled C-Section if you will.

How very fortunate we live in a world where such a thing is possible. Where the amount of suffering you are going to have is limited to the amount of time you can stand it and not prolonged.

I like that option.

Our animals are given that kind of treatment.
Why not our humans?
http://youtu.be/1lHXH0Zb2QI
Yesterday, Brittany chose to end her life. People are calling it suicide. People are calling it assisted suicide. People are clamoring to be heard on why it is such a bad idea. Equal amounts of people are yelling to be heard on why it is such a good idea.

I haven't walked in Brittany's shoes.
It's not my story.

With that said though, I came into this world naked and screaming. Why not leave it naked and dreaming?

xo
http://youtu.be/z2bCSnp0R68
2 Comments
Peg Buckley
11/2/2014 10:29:32 pm

Beautiful, Ms. Maggie, especially that last sentence! May she bless all those who loved her whom she needed to leave.

Reply
Maggie ~ TGHR
11/3/2014 12:47:46 am

Thanks Mama. It is such a powerful story,
xo

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Maggie Pinque

    Believer in making dreams come true.
    Intuitive Card Reader.
    Author.  
    Inspirational Speaker. 
    ​Beacon of Optimism.

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2021
    February 2020
    September 2019
    June 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    July 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

Picture



Maggie Pinque

Feel free to email me
[email protected]
Picture