How You'll Know When I Am Dead
My Thoughts On Living Wills
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
I do need to preface this with something a bit personal. My brother-in-law died today. His name was Robert Grosse and he was a bright, articulate and well-spoken man. He suffered a stroke, underwent brain surgery and died soon thereafter. So forgive me if I am in a somber mood.
Anyone who knows me, in Real Life (such as it is) or through the blogging or skinning communities that I am proud to belong to, knows my sense of humor. I also like to think of myself as warm, sensitive and caring. It is with this in mind that I tell you that when I lose those qualities, my time has passed.
When I lose the ability to laugh or to make others laugh, I am already dead.
When I can no longer recognize my children (as happened to my beloved mother in the last stages of Parkinson's Disease,) I am already dead.
When I can no longer enjoy the things that make life precious, I am dead.
Death should not be put off with feeding tubes and respirators simply because it CAN be. I believe that we are more than an accumulation of cells that form organs and organs that form bodies. While, for me at least, the jury is still out on whether we are animated by a Holy Spirit or a life spark, there is something more. And when that something is gone, you will know that I am dead.
And no act of Congress, no Presidential seal, will bring that back. Then, let me go.
Anyone who knows me, in Real Life (such as it is) or through the blogging or skinning communities that I am proud to belong to, knows my sense of humor. I also like to think of myself as warm, sensitive and caring. It is with this in mind that I tell you that when I lose those qualities, my time has passed.
When I lose the ability to laugh or to make others laugh, I am already dead.
When I can no longer recognize my children (as happened to my beloved mother in the last stages of Parkinson's Disease,) I am already dead.
When I can no longer enjoy the things that make life precious, I am dead.
Death should not be put off with feeding tubes and respirators simply because it CAN be. I believe that we are more than an accumulation of cells that form organs and organs that form bodies. While, for me at least, the jury is still out on whether we are animated by a Holy Spirit or a life spark, there is something more. And when that something is gone, you will know that I am dead.
And no act of Congress, no Presidential seal, will bring that back. Then, let me go.
