FootprintsintheWind.com

There was a phrase in one end of life study report I read this morning: unrealistic expectations. Families have unrealistic expectations about what can be done for their loved one at the end of life.

We can say that whatever we weak humans do or withhold of our technology can be overcome by God. We ought to send what help we can. But what is help? Help with life, or help with suffering? What if they conflict?

You cannot overcome the conflict by simply saying do not interfere with God, because that pretends the conflict does not exist.

Our unrealistic expectations are that Dad will get better: see, Dad is rallying. Yet those who have seen these things times before know this is a common stage of a common path with a common goal.

We are afraid to speak truth to one another, to share what we are reading in the handwriting on this wall. So we hold out unrealistic hopes and we shut our minds to what is in front of our eyes. Do we ever refuse reality? Here we do often. Is life ambiguous? Of course. Do we do wrong by forcing someone to fight beyond what is realistic? What is realistic? Do we inflict suffering on others and ourselves?

:- Doug.