As a retired minister and volunteer hospice worker, I have known many individuals who have faced the last stage of life ("To what lengths to prolong life?" July 11). Some want to leave as soon as possible, and a few act on this by not eating. Others want anything and everything available to stay alive for another hour, another day, another week.
Human beings are complex, and their reasons are varied. How do we, as a society, honor each individual? And how do we honor communities -- for example, religious groups -- with specific values, beliefs and practices?
The answer is: With difficulty. Some people at the end of their lives will be able to articulate their desires. Others will not. While we are able, all of us should make a statement in writing about what we think we want at the end.
We won't really know until we get there. Nonetheless, we should think it through as best we can, write it down and revise it every few years, more often as we age or become frail. The best thing to do with these statements is to give them to our loved ones, our doctor and our lawyer, if we have one.
PARKER TROSTEL, MINNEAPOLIS
