Lessons We Learned From Terri Schiavo






Let's talk about Terry Schiavo, since her death illustrated for me many aspects of grief and hope. Who among us was not moved by the drama of her last days? I know I was. Her death was not the way I would want my own death to be. When my time comes, I want no heroic measures, since for me they simply postpone the inevitable. And watching the family feud that took place between her husband and her parents, with all the tension and the anger, saddened me terribly. Peace should be the last emotion Terry felt, but who knows if she heard only the angry words passed between those she loved. No one should have to die as she did.



What a shame. At the same time, look at the two different approaches to grief presented to us, one by her husband Michael and the other by her parents the Schindlers. Michael was clearly ready to "lay her gently down," he was prepared to move on with his new life and to "begin again" with his fiancee and two young children. Some say he was ready a bit too soon, but I disagree. Grief takes as long as it needs, there is no clock for the soul. Her parents, on the other hand, were clearly unable to give her up yet. It is understandable that parents would be so protective of their kids, and I don't know what I would do if, God forbid, one of my own kids was in a similar state.

I am not judging, just pointing out the differences in style and approach in this wrenching drama. For Terri's parents, despite how they may feel now, they must know that there is still hope for them. There is a new future which they will soon help create; there will be new challenges for them and their family which they cannot yet know. When you are grieving, you often lose sight of the future, because the present is so draining. But no matter what has been taken from you there is hope. They still have each other and they still have a life in front of them. I certainly pray that they will find healing and consolation, and that Terri's memories will bring them peace.

 Continue for more related information:
RELATED RESULTS:


 

How To Write A Eulogy
Remembering someone special in a personal way can be healing for everyone concerned, for a eulogy is a deeply personal way of saying goodbye. Th...

When The Spirit Leaves The Body
Do you spend most of your time inside or outside of your body? If you know what I'm talking about then I can almost certainly say tha...

Mexico: Death in Mexico
Death: No thank you. Dying: Gives me a panic attack. Burial: Not today, please. Of all the subjects I could write about, this one is my least...

Grief
I didn't know a heart could diebefore it stopped beating.I didn't know a life could ceasebefore it stopped breathing. ...

Is Death Really the End or the Window to A New Beginning?
Earlier this month I learned a dear friend had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She has been given less...

Terrorism Worries: 10 Ways to Turn Fear into Hope
September 11th changed America and chances are it changed you. Images of that tragic day pop into your mind without...

The Look of Grief
Never, since man has walked upright, have people all over the globe had more educational advantages or more opportunities to practice advanced soci...

Coping with Grief - Its Called Living Through It
"Dad, I tried to wake Nana, I think she's dead.""Grandpa died yesterday.""Oh my God, Daddy's dead.""Uncle Jack died ...

We are the Reflection of our Lives: How to Survive Loss & Humility
Everyday, I look in the mirror to see the face staring back at me. Sometimes it is lined with stre...

Miracles?
If we were to organize a list of the thorniest problems for the bereaved, certainly somewhere near the top would be the question of miracles. Everybody has...
Table of Contents | Article-Max Directory