Have you ever heard the term, “euthanasia?” May be you have not. May be you have. May be you have heard the terms, “mercy killing, assisted suicide, physician-assisted suicide.”
The first time I heard the term was in 2010 when a Hindi film called “Guzaarish” was released. Main actor was Hrithik Roshan, so I was definitely going to watch the movie. Sure, the trailer spiked an interest in me about the story. Like that, I watched the sad story of a quadriplegic former magician, who after fourteen years of being a quadriplegic, appeals the court for euthanasia. However, the court does not allow it. In the end, however, his long time carer, played by Aishwarya Rai, agrees to help him do that after seeing him suffer for fourteen years.The film left me shocked, yet I understood that a person who suffers daily and cannot live without others help wanting to end his or her life is not a crime.
Oh, I am not supporting suicide here. I am strongly against taking your own life or killing someone else. However, euthanasia is different. Euthanasia is offered to people who are seriously ill. It is not forced on anyone. A person can choose that option though most countries do not support this idea.
Then, recently, euthanasia came back to my life in the form of another story. It is the story of Will Traynor and Louisa Clark in “Me Before You.” My sister showed me the trailer saying, “You like this actress form Game of Thrones, right? She is in a new movie. And Finnick (name of Sam Claflin’s Hunger Games character) is in it too.” I watched the trailer mainly because I wanted to see Emilia Clarke’s acting. The plot seemed interesting. Since I was not going to be able to watch the movie any time soon, I found the book by Jojo Moyes and read it. After a long time, a book left me in tears.
Will Traynor, a very energetic, adventurous, successful young man faces a tragic accident that makes him a quadriplegic. That means he cannot move any of his limbs. He needs someone’s assistance all the time. He cannot even control his own body temperature. After going through this life, which is a permanent torture to him, for two years he decides to end his life by going to Dignitas. Dignitas is a real assisted dying organization. In an attempt to change his idea, his mother hires a new carer to stay with him all the time. That is Louisa Clark. Louisa tries her best to change his idea. The interesting part is that the story shows both points of view so clearly that you cannot accuse one of them being wrong. They are both right.
However, one point should be made very clear. The story does not convey the message if you are disabled you should die. The story is only speaking about the choices one can make with one’s own life in such a situation. I have seen some people who have not understood this message clearly, creating trouble for the movie.
You cannot tell other people what they should do. You cannot make choices for other people. The only thing you can do is putting on their shoes and trying to understand what makes them come to a certain decision.
Though I am against taking one’s own life, I do understand why people would want to choose euthanasia in a situation where they have to depend on other people even for the smallest task. Keep an open mind people. Sometimes you have to choose the gray areas in life.
World Through My Eyes 