My first blog

Thinking about Terri Schaivo, the Pope, death, life, and what it all means. Unlike some people, I resist reducing Terri Shaivo's death into something as black-and-white and simplistic as what some of the "pro-lifers" are doing. I consider myself "pro-life", but what, exactly, does that mean? I hear President Bush encourage people to create a "culture of life," but is going into a pre-emptive war over oil and allowing thousands of young soldiers die cultivating a culture of life? Is supporting the death penalty pro-life? Is creating a national budget that takes money away from the poor considered pro-life? I just wish people would think a bit more. Not that I have all of the answers. If I had been Terri Schaivo's parents, I probably would have fought to the end to keep my child alive. But then I wonder why we cling so tightly to this life? For those of us who believe there is something greater than this mortal world, than this life, our faith helps us to keep perspective. This isn't all there is to the story. Maybe this life is just the beginning. Maybe Michael Schaivo, who let his wife be taken off the feeding tube, is the one who has the most compassion. What if, like Henri Nouwen (I believe) once said, that this life is like being in the womb. It's warm, and comfortable, and it's all we know. We want to stay in the womb, but we out-grow it. After the struggle of birth, we are ultimately in a much better place. Maybe this life is like a womb that we outgrow, and after the struggle of death we are ultimately in a better place.

I am not Catholic, but hearing about the dying Pope makes me sad and introspective. Either he is a special messenger of God, or he's just a regular guy, but either way he's been a great spiritual leader and seems like he's an all-around compassionate person. In some ways, having a spiritual leader like that makes me want to be Catholic. But then again, if I became Catholic I would probably end up rebelling against the all-male hierarchy and break all the rules and be excommunicated.