Reverend Ref +

NOT DEAD YET

I suppose someone will tell me that that title is in bad taste, but then, I think Gary Larson is a god. (Ooh ooh, heretical too!)

I have a lady whose been going to the Sheridan parish on and off since I got there. She's an Episcopalian who started attending the Methodist church when Christ Church didn't have a vicar.

Anyway, she has a husband who's dying of lung etc. cancer. He's been bad since I've met him, and he's gotten worse in the last few weeks. He's now in the hospital, basically waiting to die.

This must be the worst part about death. You know you're going to die, your family knows you're going to die, in fact, EVERYONE knows you're going to die, but your body won't let go. He's come to terms with all of this and has mentioned on several occassions that he's ready to go. His wife and family are ready for him to go. But his body is still hanging on.

This really takes alot out of everyone. Life doesn't stop because you are going to die. And, unfortunately, it drags everything out past the point of exhaustion. Maybe that's the appeal of assisted suicide -- so you can die on your own terms. So you can die when everyone has come to terms with it. So you can die and let your family and friends get on with their lives.

I'm not sure if I'm advocating assisted suicide here; simply pointing out that dying doesn't always happen on our terms, and it is a blessing when it does.

May he go quickly and peacefully.