By Ada Brownell
If you’ve entertained the thought of taking your life, let
me introduce you to some special people.
Nancy weighed only 49 pounds when I met her and she never walked.
Her husband of 25 years was her feet. She was his eyes.
A spunky little woman, usually filled with joy, one day her
anger perked to the top. A young man crippled in a recent accident petitioned the
courts for his nursing home attendants to help him take his life.
Nancy’s brilliant eyes blazed as she waved a tiny finger. “That
is wrong! Some people think I don’t have much of a life. But it’s the only life
I have and I enjoy every minute of it!”
Because of her debilitating congenital muscle condition, she
could barely brush her own teeth, but on her wall a beautiful embroidered
needlepoint of “The Lord’s Prayer” testified of her gumption. First-place Colorado State Fair ribbons still
attached testified to the expert embroidery work.
Nancy worked in her church and
several local organizations. She and her husband bowled. He placed her ball,
and she pushed it off. She helped him
aim his ball so he could hit the pins.
In my work as a newspaper reporter
I met many incredible handicapped people. Among them were members of “Not Dead
Yet,” a disability
rights group formed to oppose the movement to legalize assisted suicide and
euthanasia. Those in the group who were
Christians decided to be like the Apostle Paul and say, “Whatever state I am, I
will be content.”[1]
I used to go through the coroner’s
copies of death certificates and saw many suicides among them. I frequently reported health statistics,
which included suicides for our city.
As tragic as it
is for even one young person to kill himself, you might be surprised to learn
that teens don’t have the highest suicide rate. Almost three times more elderly
white men end their lives with their own
actions than the overall rate.
Suicide begins
increasing after age 65. Researchers point to the elderly men’s lack of resilience
or coping abilities, or they choose more lethal means of suicide.
My dad became deeply depressed after he was admitted to a
nursing home.
“I’m no good to anybody,” he complained.
Redhead that I am I said, “Don’t be funny. You haven’t even
finished raising your family yet.”
He looked at me as if I’d lost my senses. All eight of his
children and his two step-children were out on their own, taking care of
themselves.
“You’re showing us how to grow old,” I told Dad. I could see
a light glisten in his eyes. He knew what I was talking about.
For the first time he
realized he was modeling the truths of our faith as well as how to make the
difficult choices when our health fails. I didn’t tell him, but I knew a family
history of suicide puts others at risk for the same behavior.[2]
Besides the handicapped, I remember a frail elderly lady who
spent hours every day on the phone calling people to deliver a little sunshine
into their lives. She had a list of phone numbers and hundreds of birthdays,
anniversaries, but she called, sang little songs, or read encouraging verses on
Christmas and other holidays. When she met me, she put me on the list. Sometimes she found a name where someone was
hospitalized or ill, and she’d call with encouragement.
In my work as a reporter, I interviewed movie stars,
politicians, even a member of the Supreme Court, covered presidents’ and first
ladies’ speeches, National Football League players and coaches, but the people
I remember most are the ordinary folks whose lives reflect their faith in God
and love—especially the incredible people who chose to be content despite
uncomfortable circumstances, health problems, disabilities or age.
In my eyes, these folks lived examples of greatness.
Have you thought of suicide because
of your physical condition or limitations?
Even if you haven’t, you are at
risk, especially if you lose your health, become handicapped or experience
other heartache or emotional trauma in your life.
Be encouraged. God promised never
to leave for forsake. He’s the joy and peace giver. Peace and joy are two of
the nine fruits of Holy Spirit that come into a child of God, and God’s Spirit
comes in to abide with us. See Galatians 5:22.
©Ada
Brownell 2016
