The first time I saw this story was on this cover on my way to the checkout at the grocery store. Normally I avoid all eye-contact with the magazines, at all cost, leading to the checkout. But, the headline on People magazine caught my eye, and I thought: "Is this real? Why? Does she understand who she is? Has our would reached this point?" I was reminded of the story for the first time since, when I saw another article today online. Wanting to know if I truly understood the story I watched the interviews, and read the articles surrounding Brittany Maynard's decision.
The quick summary if you are not aware of the story is that Brittany Maynard, now age 29, was diagnosed with one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer, at a stage 4. She was given 6 months to live, and with her husband, moved to Oregon in order to take advantage of the "Death with Dignity" Act. Essentially, this would allow her, a terminally ill individual, to obtain and use a drug that would end her life, when she is ready. If you want to know more, I will leave that to you to research.
Personally, I have a very hard time with this story. I do not know or understand all of the physical, mental, and emotional pain that comes with living with a given amount of time, and fighting cancer. However, this woman does here, addressing the story in a far more personal way--she too, like many others around the world, walks the hard road of an ending life--But instead chooses to live it.
Take the time to read it here : Dear Brittany
However, I still would like to address Brittany's story, and more importantly, the topic of ending your own life. When trying to be sure that I knew the whole story before writing this afternoon, I watched an interview where Brittany spoke of the beauty of this world and her love for the outdoors. The latest headlines have been proclaiming that she checked off her last bucket-list item of seeing the Grand Canyon.That is wonderful that she made things happen, and decided to do the things that mattered most to her. I love that she values everything around us.
But, this beautiful earth was created for you, and created for me, as a place for us to learn, grow, and go through trials and struggles of every kind that would allow us and help us to become greater people than we could ever be otherwise.
I don't stand behind, or support those who have written scathing articles and comments about the decision. I would hope their hearts are in the right place, because their words are not always. But, I do stand as one who does not, nor will ever, support a person in ending their life. Instead I support the fight for each of God's children to continue to live, especially when they feel they can't go any further, because that is when legacies begin, and our world begins to undergo miraculous change--change that could have only happened through the means of a divine, unique, son or daughter of God.
Many of us know those who have ended their lives early. Those who judge these individuals do not understand the damage those judgments cause, and the pain that is felt by the friends and families who are missing lived ones. I would hope the world would support these families in their struggle and pain, and support those who continue to live though life may feel dark, and the trials never-ending.
The above video was recently released by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, talking about depression and suicide (though this video is not addressing medically-assisted suicide, and though many disagree with me, suicide--intentionally killing oneself--is exactly what Dying with Dignity, and sadly, Brittany is planning on doing.)
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and like you, a beloved child of our Heavenly Father, I know that He would never want us to deprive ourselves and our souls of the sacred experiences found within the trials of life. Those same experiences that make people around the world ask if they should simply be done. This life is a journey, that will lead us to greater things, and shape us into greater people.
This medical-assisted suicide has been called "Dying with Dignity." To that I say, how sad. How devastating. How heartbreaking. We have been called to this earth at specific times, as specific people, to be part of something incredible. Being here is a sacred opportunity and responsibility. Why, no matter how hard it gets, would we deny ourselves this right? I was once in a church lesson, and we were discussing trials and hard experiences. One of the women there, when speaking of a specific, personal, trial, stated that though it was so hard, there were experiences within that trial that had she not endured it, she would have "sorely missed." Those words have stayed with me since.
I know that each soul is precious to our Heavenly Father. He knows all we can become. He knows how much we can handle--always providing a way to accomplish what is set before us. Often by allowing difficult and unfathomable trials to enter our lives, he is simply giving us the means and the environment to become that much greater--greater than whatever the trial may be. And if that trial--like Stage 4 brain cancer ends up removing a person from this world, by living it out the best they could, they will leave a legacy where they once stood. I believe that this is not the end, and in that light, we must live our lives to the fullest, until we are called, by our heavenly Father, to the next step.
The world needs to remember the value of life--With all my Heart,
Tayler
For more on what I believe: mormon.org
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