So, California just became the 5th state to pass the ‘Right To Die’ law, which essentially means that people here will have the legal right/entitlement/what-have-you to commit suicide or have someone assist them in doing so in the event they are terminally ill and don’t want to prolong their illness.

Many people consider this a victory, however, I can’t help but feel… err… terrible about this law passing because of what it seems to reflect.

While I understand, to a very limited extent I am sure since I have no experience with terminal illness, the mental and physical agony of personally dealing with terminal illness as well as the varying effect it has on friends, family, and loved ones’ (depending on how closely involved they are), my first thought is…

There are so many people in the world who are fighting to live why would anybody be fighting to die?

As someone who was previously suicidal, I did whatever I could to convince myself that not only did I want to commit suicide but I would not live to see 28 because of what I “knew” in my heart and mind I was going to do. In hindsight, however, I see now it reflects how hopeless I was… How much I exchanged truth for a lie…. How much I hated myself…. How easily I was willing to give up and seemingly how thankful I was that giving up was an option which I believe in part is what people in favor of the right to die act are feeling, so in that sense I can sympathize.

But then we look at stories such as the one of Valerie Harper, the legendary actress who was diagnosed with illness and given a short time to live, and she’s still here spreading the fight… the positivity… the love… the hope. Which she can only do because she is STILL alive.

I’m sure there are more stories just like hers that don’t get publicity because the people involved aren’t celebrities, but that doesn’t invalidate their experiences nor does it make them less powerful and true to life. We have to believe that there is hope in every situation, that there is a reason to live FOR every situation and that this life we live is bigger than our own.

I do respect free will so I’m not going to impose my beliefs on anyone, but what I am asking people to consider, whether they are terminal ill or not, is choosing hope instead of choosing death. There is hope, and there is help.

Much love, survivors.

Get Help: http://yourenotfinished.com/get-help-2/