Brittany, and Hope

I noted the passing of Brittany Maynard the other day.  Brittany is the lady that chose to end her life at 29, due to a diagnosis of brain cancer. She made headlines because of her choice, and the world tracked her as she made it through her bucket list on the way to a planned ending on November 1^st.

Brittany generated a lot of opinions on her choice, from euthanasia proponents to right-to-lifers, from atheists to religious.  But, all have to agree that she had the choice, and, since none of us have walked in her shoes, opinions largely only promote your own point of view. 

I, like most people, felt a great sadness when reading her story. What saddened me the most about her choice is that it indicated a loss of hope. 

Hope can come in more than one flavour.  In Brittany's case, the most immediate hope would be for a cure, maybe a long shot, but stranger things have happened.  Jim Kelly, former quarterback of the Buffalo Bills, has undergone an epic battle with the big C, and he was recently pronounced cancer-free.  This may not last, but I guarantee Jim’s pretty darn happy about it, and glad to be alive. 

The deeper hope troubled me more. Brittany’s choice indicates that she had no hope of something better after this life. This hope requires faith, and puts restrictions on our choices.

I’ve not faced what Brittany faced, but I know that any situation in life can be easier to face when you have that hope that stems from faith. On one level, it helps you to cope when you have that something in the future to look forward to.  And, as you progress through life and you reach each of those things you were looking forward, that one last thing to look forward is that your life will go on after you die.  This requires faith.  I hope Brittany had this, I can’t imagine how she faced that moment without it.

I’ve heard the terms “death with dignity” and “death on your own terms” in conjunction with Brittany’s death.  I don’t believe that death is, or can be, dignified.  I’ve heard of too many people that endure indignity (chemotherapy, hardship, humiliation, pain and torture) just to stay alive.  And, as far as death on your own terms, well, your birth wasn’t, so why would you expect that your death will be?

I’m glad Brittany got to do her “bucket list” before she died.  But, the hand that filled the bucket is now gone, and, like a bucket imprint of sand on the beach, it slowly washes away.  The world has moved on to another story, and the people that Brittany loved and that loved her are the only ones that remember.

Here’s what lasts:

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1)