Linda's Reminder: Joy truly is in the journey

EmeraldPrincessOnline
Aunt Malena, in her 80s, frail, inhabiting a body wracked by the ravages of rheumatoid arthritis and metastatic cancer, continued to focus her time and remaining energy to work on preparations for the family reunion the following year. Sadly, she didn't live to see it come to fruition. I was awash in grief over the disappointment that she did not live long enough to see the reunion come together. When I wrote about that my friend, Linda, a wise and compassionate R.N., she wrote back a most insight-filled note of condolence. Linda expressed her belief that what is important is being involved in something, working toward a goal, whether or not it is reached in one's lifetime. That was a real lightbulb moment for me. It made so much sense and was so comforting. Recently, Linda sent me the following story about two brothers. The conclusion is similar. I'd like to share it. This story of the two brothers is certainly along that same line. Thanks for the reminder, Linda. The joy truly is in the journey.

Joy in the Journey:
Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch.

"What are you doing?" asked one of the visitors. "We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!" one of the brothers volunteered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible.

After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders, worms and a wide assortment of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing visitors. Then he said quietly and confidently, "Even if we don't dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!"

Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig. And that is what a goal is for - to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen; in other words, to set us to digging!

But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every relationship will endure. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every endeavor will be completed. Not every dream will be realized. But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, "Yes, but look at what I found along the way!"

Terri Schindler-Schiavo: Euthanize the weasel, but let Terri live

EmeraldPrincessOnline
Why should Terri Schindler-Schiavo have to essentially be put to death for the convenience of her husband? How is it that in our modern day American culture a person's right-to-life is somehow secondary to someone right-to-death? I am passionate about Terri's situation. No doubt the strain of all of these years of her being disabled has taken a toll on the entire family, however, her husband has shown that he is a weasel.

Jeb Bush did a good thing when he stopped the efforts to remove her PEG tube.

Why the judges in Florida have sided with her husband and how they could want her blood on their hands, I do not understand.

Why, oh why, if her parents are willing to assume the financial responsibility for her ongoing care, why doesn't her husband just go to Nevada, get a quickie divorce, and get on with his life with the woman he has made multiple babies with, but leave Terry alone and allow her to live. Why couldn't her parents be granted guardianship of Terri? I don't see why she has to die for his convenience.

There are many photographs and day-to-day updates on the process through the courts of Terri's desperate case which can be found on the Web at http://www.terrisfight.org. One picture says it all for me: the look of love captured as Terri is smiling and straining to reach her mother.

Euthanize the weasel. Let Terri live.