Dying to Live
I once cared for a young man who attempted suicide. He has been ill for quite some time, suffering from addiction and despair. Instead of being willing to face the consequences of his actions, he chose to try and escape through death. As his body lay on the floor, we did CPR and stabilized him before transporting him to the hospital. He didn't regain consciousness while we worked on him. As we cared for him, I found myself moved. This young guy, who probably burnt most people who cared about him, was being cared for, given our best effort to tether him to earth. We rejected his rejection, his inability to accept himself and his actions. We chose life for him because he could not choose it for himself. Quite some time later, it occurred to me that many of us do the very same thing this young man did. Certainly not as lethal, and maybe not even physical, but we try to kill parts of us that we don't understand, can't control, or seem culturally discouraged. I wondered i...