Brittany Maynard just took her own life as she faced a painful end of life from brain cancer. I’m sure there will be many things said about this. Many of those who write about it will be critical of Brittany’s choice. I will not. The whole situation is a sad one. I feel a deep sadness for her, her husband and family. There is no need for moralism at the moment, only grieving.
Was it the right choice? Should she have waited for “life to take its course?” Was there a right choice in this? Opinions will all be voiced on the Internet. Many will be harsh and hurtful. The only emotion I give to this is grief. I’m sad that this disease has taken such a young life. I know many others suffer in the same way, but her choice to end her life in this way only magnifies the grief and sadness of her death.
We all face death. Whatever the vehicle we will all be driven from this life to the next. The debate over her choice is not the real issue we each must face. Whatever we face that will one day take our lives are we ready for the life ahead?
Some will tell you that death is the end….when you’re dead, you’re dead. Others believe eternity lies ahead. I believe this life is only the beginning of life…eternal life. We grieve over the death of someone we love in this life, but we rarely talk about the grief of losing eternal life. 100% of us will die physically, but it isn’t the end. Ahead is eternity and for some a fate much worse than a painful death here. For others eternity means real life and a walk with God that never ends.
I grieve over Brittany’s loss. I pray she did not lose real life as well. Sometimes I fear we argue and fret over the wrong things and focus too much on the temporal and not enough on the eternal. I hope and pray that as Brittany made a choice about this life she had also made a choice about real life.
As you read the news and the debate about her choice remember that this choice was not the most important one….for her or for you.
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