Right to live and die

All life is a trajectory through time's vicissitudes with an origin and a conclusion written into it. Once a being is conceived, it is nurtured in the womb, safe from all predators, and when it sees the light of the world, it is embraced and celebrated. Life is about nurture and preservation, a collaborative effort by the natural and social forces it is surrounded by, and human beings grow to find their goals and lead meaningful lives.

Though the end is an eventuality built into the very fabric of life, it is far from logical or predictable. We only know that the lease of life will expire, and we need to leave without a backward glance. We could be at the mercy of inexplicable, randomly malicious and uncontrollable forces. We may encounter unforeseen accidents or be afflicted with a life-threatening disease that could keep us on hold indefinitely. Keeping alive a terminally-ill patient, in a vegetative state, to endure a slow, agonising death is not ethical. Beyond the preservation of life at all costs, an individual with an irreversible medical condition has the inalienable right to leave with dignity.

When we are done with the legal framework, we need to take a compassionate, heartbreaking decision to remove all artificial barriers to extend life and let the individual pass in peace. There is a dignity and grace in this leave-taking that respects the sanctity of life and the quiet acceptance of the inevitable with stoic resignation. We bow to the supreme Will, continuing to love those we lost.