For some time now a woman in Florida has captured the attention of people across this country. People who have never met Terri Schiavo, who was raised in the Philadelphia suburb of Huntingdon Valley, Pa., and suffered severe brain damage in 1990 when her heart stopped, have followed her story.
We have seen on the nightly news the division that has developed between her husband and her parents. We have witnessed Governor Bush take action to save this woman who went without any nutrition for almost 7 days while everyone else was trying to figure out what Terri would want.
Terri has sparked debate among most of us on issues of euthanasia, the right to die, living wills, quality of life and the duty of our spouse and family in a time where medical decisions cannot be made ourselves. How many of us have asked a loved one “what would your wishes be” after hearing Terri’s story?
We have had to ask ourselves where to draw the line in sustaining life and prolonging death. Should food and nutrients be considered artificial life support if delivered by a tube? What decision would we make?
There are no easy answers to all of this. However, it is my belief that we are all put here on this earth for a reason. No matter who you are or what you believe, you do have a purpose. Some people remind us that evil does really exist; others challenge us to live our life as Christ taught us. Yet if we are alive, in any state, we all serve a purpose.
We must all understand, no one can overrule the will of God. Not through the court, not through medical technology, not by any means. Terri Schiavo has caused us all to think about ourselves in a way most of us never have. She has caused us to discuss an uncomfortable subject with our loved ones. It may just be that God has used Terri Schiavo to remind us that all life has meaning. Not bad for someone in a “persistent vegetative state”.
No comments:
Post a Comment