[Normally a Lurker]

Our differences are both philosophical and practial, but I fully understand your perspective, as you apparently do mine, and, further: I appreciate the manor in which you express yourself.

[ClancyJ]

One thing I have come to realize is that we have to be very careful in judging how others feel in a situation. My mother is in a nursing home and I use to feel that would be horrible. Yet - I have come to see that as we progress in different life situations our desires and wants change.

My mother cannot walk, cannot do anything for herself. I could moan and groan that she is miserable because she can't get out and go shopping, go places, have fun. Yet - in her condition, it is not fun to go shopping and out doing things the healthy do. Her wants and desires have changed. I talked to a 102-year old roommate of my mother, talking about how hard it was to take her over to my house in her condition. This lady told me - "Oh, I don't want to go out to my daughter's, it is just really not worth the trouble - I would rather stay here.


So, the same is true of others in less than perfect life situations. The Lord has put in place adaptability for us. Our desires change and new things become pleasant.

Therefore, we can't know that Terri's life is miserable. She has her likes and desires. Altzheimer's patients want their food (sometimes) and their minds have become so confused, they sure are not missing the things younger ones do, they become like children content with other things.

This view has indeed helped me quit comparing my life to what my mother cannot do. In addition, the same applies to the retarded, the mentally defective, and all others except those in severe pain. They adapt and life is still precious to them.

Why do we have the right to take it from them? That is God's job because he knows the whole situation - we don't and never will.