To Live Compromised

Sometimes it still shocks me when I hear people say they would prefer to die rather than 'live compromised'.
At the same time, I also understand that feeling.
That fear.

Quite often the notion comes from either watching a loved one experience a traumatic illness or experiencing a severe injury themselves. It would usually be an injury that left the person compromised, frustrated, vulnerable, reliant on others and/or machines for survival, and (usually) an instant decrease in quality of life. Whether or not it is temporary, these scenarios seem to root themselves deep into a person's psyche.

Part of this, even though it may be a small percentage, comes from our social perspective. While I don't like to admit it, people who are constantly reliant on others, on the healthcare system, on government programs are deemed, at best, not a contributing citizen and, at worst, worthless. I don't agree with it, but the stigma is absolutely there. So there is no wonder people would prefer not to live that kind of existence.
Someone's worth, however, often has absolutely nothing to do with taxes or having a run-of-the-mill employment. Sure there is an absolute use of resources that goes beyond the average person, but every person 'drains' resources in their own way.
Even more than that, the worth of life does not lie in being able to walk. It does not lie in being able to see. I know it's cheesy, but love goes so far beyond any ailment. ANY ailment, no matter how severe. Joy can be found in every situation, even though it may be difficult.

Living compromised is this idea that if a person is suffering then he/she is not living life to its full potential. That, somehow, because of being compromised, enjoyment of life is removed.
But we are all compromised in one way or another. Some people believe they would never want to live if they suffered mental illness. Some believe they would die before having a certain type of surgery. Some people would even rather die than not be able to have plastic surgery.
We all have milestones and goals we would love to accomplish, and we see road-blocks as existing just to stop us in our tracks.

We are all compromised. We all require help in some way. That does not make anyone less worthy than another. A big fancy job does not make someone more worthy than another. It is, rather, the way we treat people, the impact we make, the life we share with others. Our big, messy, frustrating, complicated lives are the culmination of the good and the bad.
If we didn't struggle, there would be no humility or grace. To be grateful also means to suffer.
Each person has his/her own limit to what is too much suffering for them. I could not tell someone else what their limit should be - that is not my place. All I hope for is that there is this understanding that 'living compromised' is not necessarily bad. If we remove all of the stigma and social constructs out of the equation - what is left? Is it still too much to live with? Or is it bearable?

Is there enough opportunity for happiness to keep going?

Anyways, enough philosophizing.

Night everyone!