FROM ALL SIDES In this All Fool's Day time of the year when seasonal humor so often takes over our complex world or a time, we have been beset with, at least, three cases of death - two with extended times of dying, and they came from three sides of our lives.
Oddly, none of them were of any near or distant relationship me or to any one I know. I had never seen any of them; never known them to be either allies or enemies, friends or foe, genius or nerd before they came into my life - “uninvited” as you might put it.
Several week ago, one Terri Schiavo, a lady in Florida, of whom I had never heard, turned up in the news as an individual who was nearing he end of her life; or one who may have one beyond that point. Quoted medical authorities said she “brain dead”... living artificially as sustained by a feeding tube and other such aids.
The immediate crisis, which made the story “newsworthy”in an American media sense, was a contention which had arisen when her husband, thinking fifteen years constituted a fair trial of the test and he asked the court to authorize removal of the life-sustaining tube an make it possible for his wife to be allowed to die -“normally”. He had no written “Living Will” attesting to the fact that she would have wanted it to have been that way; only his memory of having said so many years before. The woman's family took exception to his request; insisted the patient be continued under existing care. The family feud became quite intense. The court agreed to remove the feeding tube and Terri Schiavo became newsworthy.
We, as a nation,”took sides”. It will all make an interesting study years from now.
The second death this week was that of chicken-plucker Frank Purdue. He took his family chicken business from medium to magnificent dimensions in one season of doing his own television commercial in a laid-back,corny style. He had an “I-am-me” attitude about TV selling that hooked me and millions of other people. Sorry to see him the roost.
The third person is, at this time, lingering on the edge of life. I have admired this man for over twenty-seven years when he left his native Poland to take the job of being Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Over the past quarter of a century, he has been an outstanding leader for the entire Christian faith. He has used his place wisely; tempered to our times. I have wondered at times why he did not speak out, but realized later on, he left un-said the best remarks by refraining from butt-insky efforts to change an unwilling world. In addition to being the first non-Italian Pope in four hundred years or so. He will also be remembered as one of the best o he lot. He put the “papa” parts and pieces back in the papacy puzzle for many of us of varied faiths.
A.L.M. April 1,2005 [c520wds]
