You Don’t Know Jack

You Don’t Know Jack

December 31, 2010

The last day of 2010…

What happened that I didn’t realized we were suddenly ending one more year? Wow…

Anyway, this year was incredibly powerful, principally in the education area. 2010 was a period of astounding learning; a time of challenge.  That’s why i’m thanking Life. That’s why i’m thanking God for this past 2010.

(The title for this article may sound weird to you, but you will get it at the end)

Today’s special date –December 31st-, makes me feel inspired and wanted to share with you something that it touched my heart recently, which may empower you for the coming days… and years.

Days before – along with my whole family -, I saw the movie “You Don’t Know Jack” where the superb acting of Al Pacino is really incredible… but the subject of this film removed my deeper feelings and thoughts, most of all because it was a real life story.

Pacino performs Jack Kevorkian, who faced the society of his era, in circumstances that are again exposed to today’s society through this recent film.

The controversial subject is euthanasia.

Kevorkian is a doctor (who doesn’t have a license anymore) applying lethal injections to volunteers that wanted to die.

As you may know, the definition of euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable disease or in an irreversible coma.

The same subject was showed in another movie titled “The Sea Inside” (or “Mar Adentro” In Spanish). This movie was made in Spain in 2004, and tells the story about Ramón Sampedro, who became quadriplegic at his 16 years old.

“The Sea Inside” relates the odyssey of Sampedro whom spent 28 years of his life to find out a legal way to kill himself.

It is not strange that these movies are taking the contentious topic of euthanasia from a personal point of view. At the end of the film you end with the feeling that a suicide (or an attended suicide) in these cases is completely right and understandable.

But here is when many questions arise…

- Is that right or not to suicide or take the own lives?

- Should other people “help” other people to die?

At the end of “You Don’t Know Jack”, I asked a question to my whole family, whose in that moment were together with me:

What would you do if I fell in coma?

What would you do if I had to depend of a machine to live?

The responses were varied…

I was surprised none of them had a solid position with this matter, and also none of the majority of the people I have talked about it these days.

One of my family members gave us a very interesting opinion:

“no one can have the right answer until he is in the same situation”

Of course my mother said she would have connected me to a machine all the time if that would be the case…

At this moment, i remember a lady who was a co-worker of my wife. Her history is amazing: she used to be 8 years of her life in a vegetative state connected to a machine. Suddenly, she awoke one day sharp and healthy as nothing happened to her.

What do you think this woman would feel about these movies I’m talking about?

Personally, I’m really worried for those people taking decisions based in these movies supported by Hollywood stars or works being rewarded internationally.

The truth is: the decision for anyone to take their own life will depend not in these movies, but in two strong points of view:

1.- The human way:

A human minding will tend to act with compassion and approve a suicide or an assisted suicide as the easiest and most convenient way to avoid suffering

2.- The Divine or Biblical Way:

Only God has the sovereignty to give life and take it away.

Standing from a Biblical point of view, the subject exposed in “You Don’t Know Jack” or “The Sea Inside” is a slap in the face to the dignity of disabled people.

I strongly believe that the work that is done in these movies is a mockery of life itself. A source of discourage. Foundation of death. Seed of fear. Reflection of cowards.

Now, if we are going to stand from a human point of view… we can say after watching this type of movies: “poor guys, they were right”…

But let me tell you something:

The real respect and admiration shall be for those who are facing troubles and still serving others.

That’s why my position on FACING ANY PROBLEM –not just euthanasia- is the following:

For some reason we are here in this life… and our compromise is to find out that Mission.

The things that are happening to us –whether they are good and bad- are because they are a specific way to help us understand our PURPOSE IN LIFE.

For example:

Have you heard about Nick Vujicic? He was born without arms and legs. Review what he is doing…

Have you heard about Helen Keller? She was born unable to hear, see and talk and her message still in our days.

Have you heard about Christopher Reeve? He starred in the film “Superman”, after that, he became a quadriplegic in an accident. You may know what he did after that…

Have you heard about Job, Joseph and Paul? Histories into the Bible talking about the same problems people are facing right now and will have forever. If we really study these examples we will understand why God permit problems in humans.

And last… did you know that I used to be also in a wheel chair, and disabled for 2 years?

I personally know what is the feeling of intending to take own life… and with tears in my eyes i’m writing this… it is not such a good thing to remember.

This is also my own hard experience, from where i already passed the test. No one can come and tell me: hey, Alfonso! You need to be in that situation to know what to do…

Yeah, right…

Maybe one of the three readers of this blog still is thinking: “well… anyway, it is better to suicide and got rid of all suffering.”

That looks like the whole idea of Jack Kevorkian (known as the “Doctor of Death”) who after all these years, still states that “helping to die” a person in suffering is “mercy”.

Well… that may be because his understanding of the subject of “mercy” is using a silent syringe instead shooting them in the head…

Or as Adolf Hitler, who thought that a life in disability was not worth to live.

In “The Sea Inside”, Ramón Sampedro decided to die instead using a wheel chair, because it was humiliating for him.

Listen:

If the year of 2010 only brought pain, problems, and desperate situations for you, remember that ANY PROBLEM is for a reason.

No one is exempt of troubles. NO ONE. We will always be facing adversity. The difference will stand in how you choose to handle those situations.

Only through the way of troubles we can strength our character.

Only through the fire is how iron is shaped.

Any results we achieve in our lives –good or bad- will totally depend in the way we think.

Your hands will create what you put in your mind, your heart and your voice.

For some reason we are in this life; in this situation; with these persons around. It is your compromise to find out the PURPOSE, no matter what.

You decide.

Across time and distance, my dear Reader, I hope you will be able to put forth your best efforts in the coming years.

May your Spirit grow as your Knowledge does… and you may pass your test.

Peace,

Alfonso Inclan

December 31st, 2010

ARTICULO EN ESPAÑOL: DOCTOR MUERTE, MAR ADENTRO

Filed under: Motivational

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