Submission by Dr. Glenn Mollette
A Catholic priest, a Jewish rabbi, and a Baptist minister were discussing the beginning of life. The priest said, “Life begins at conception.” The rabbi said he believed it begins at birth. The Baptist minister thought for a minute and said, “I believe life begins when the last child leaves home and the dog dies.”
While there are different opinions about when life begins, what is the answer to the question, “When does life end?” Most of us would agree that when we breathe our last breath, it’s over for us. However, too often the ending of life is even more grim than fighting for a breath of air, and then we are nothing but a body of flesh and bone for someone else to dispose of.
Too often, life for many ends months or maybe even years before our final physical moment. Actually, it has possibly already happened to you, and you haven’t even realized it. You died and didn’t even know it. You’ve been staring at your television, scrolling through social media, and maybe even walking down the aisles of the grocery store, just as dead as old King Tut— not physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
It happens to the best of people. You lose all interest in life. You have nothing to look forward to. There is nothing you particularly want to do, no place you really want to go, and nobody you want to be around. You’re dying because you’ve given up.
Several scenarios can bring us to this motionless zombie stage of life: losing a spouse, losing a job, losing a child, a business failure, financial failure, a major illness, or just outliving all your family and friends. Too often, people detach themselves from everyone or anything going on, which limits their activity and interest even more.
No doubt, a crippling disease changes our personalities and our interests. Battling cancer, diabetes, a neurological disease, or taking your pick from many others changes our attitude about wanting to be out and about, doing what we used to do. Going to church, the local Kiwanis meeting, or singing in the community choir may not have the same appeal.
Regardless of what you or a loved one is going through, it’s important to take notice of this stage of life and not be too hard on yourself or your friend. Here’s what you must try:
- Keep moving. Move whatever you can. Even if you are wheelchair-bound, move your mind and whatever part of your body that you can.
- Keep doing. Do something. Read, pray, exercise, go to church, walk. Clean your house. Work a job, mentor people. Be a friend to others. Use your imagination.
- Keep trying. As long as you can breathe, don’t quit.
- Have something to look forward to. This can be anything: someone’s birthday, a trip to the store, mowing the yard, a family gathering, a weekend trip, a movie, church— it can be almost anything.
- Enjoy whatever you do. Laugh and have a good time.
The only person who can keep you down is yourself. Your number one obstacle is usually yourself. If we can overcome what we mentally put ourselves through, then we have a good chance of a good day. A good thought to add here is the scripture, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). Another one is, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).
Now, go and have a good day!
Dr. Glenn Mollette is the author of Uncommon Sense. Available wherever books are sold.
