Results of an execution?
A man was executed in California early this morning. 12:35 a.m. MST to be exact. He had spent 24 years on death row.
Now I'm not about to get into the politics or the morals of the death penalty. Nor am I going to reveal my own personal belief. But what I do want to talk a little about is death. Particularly my own.
I've come to realize that sooner or later, probably sooner; I will meet with my own demise. And I oftentimes wonder how I made it this long. But again, that's not the point I'm trying to get at.
After reading many well-written articles about the execution, specifically those referring to the people who protested the execution, I started thinking about how people would react upon hearing of my death. Particularly, what might be said in light of the fact that I have lived the great majority of my life with a severe disability?
Having been to the funerals of other individuals & friends who survived life with their own unique disability, I can just imagine what some well-intentioned people might say.
It was common at those funerals for people to comment that "they are free from their wheelchair now and are walking in heaven," or something to that effect. Man, gag me with a spoon!
I completely understand why people might say that. It makes them feel as though the person is now much better off. But, if you think about it, aren't those comments kind of insulting? It's almost like saying their life must've been so terrible because they had a disability. It focuses on their disability not who they were as a person or what they may have accomplished.
I guess its all part of the grieving process.
I just hope that at my funeral people focus more on the things that I did with my life. I don't want them saying that I am now "free" of those terrible physical restrictions; that I'm in heaven happily walking with my relatives who preceded me. I want them to talk about me as a person, my career, my accomplishments, not me as a person who is now free from his disability.
My disability didn't define me as a person on earth, why should the lack of it define me as a person in heaven.
Now I'm not about to get into the politics or the morals of the death penalty. Nor am I going to reveal my own personal belief. But what I do want to talk a little about is death. Particularly my own.
I've come to realize that sooner or later, probably sooner; I will meet with my own demise. And I oftentimes wonder how I made it this long. But again, that's not the point I'm trying to get at.
After reading many well-written articles about the execution, specifically those referring to the people who protested the execution, I started thinking about how people would react upon hearing of my death. Particularly, what might be said in light of the fact that I have lived the great majority of my life with a severe disability?
Having been to the funerals of other individuals & friends who survived life with their own unique disability, I can just imagine what some well-intentioned people might say.
It was common at those funerals for people to comment that "they are free from their wheelchair now and are walking in heaven," or something to that effect. Man, gag me with a spoon!
I completely understand why people might say that. It makes them feel as though the person is now much better off. But, if you think about it, aren't those comments kind of insulting? It's almost like saying their life must've been so terrible because they had a disability. It focuses on their disability not who they were as a person or what they may have accomplished.
I guess its all part of the grieving process.
I just hope that at my funeral people focus more on the things that I did with my life. I don't want them saying that I am now "free" of those terrible physical restrictions; that I'm in heaven happily walking with my relatives who preceded me. I want them to talk about me as a person, my career, my accomplishments, not me as a person who is now free from his disability.
My disability didn't define me as a person on earth, why should the lack of it define me as a person in heaven.
posted by James Leo Hemauer | 3:35 PM
1 Comments:
You are an inspiration.
Post a Comment
<< Home