26. The burning stars are still glowing

The word Euthanasia comes from the Greek words ‘eu’ and thantos’ meaning good death. Also know as  mercy killing, i.e. ending a life to relieve pain and suffering. It's separated into active ( taking action) and passive ( allowing a person to die) and voluntary ( with consent of the patient) and non-voluntary ( where the patient is unable to give consent). Involuntary is against the will of the patient which adds up to murder. Its currently illegal in the UK but legal in The Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Spain and New Zealand. Passive is legal in many more countries, where the patient has the right to refuse medial treatment keeping them alive. The numbers of assisted deaths are still very small with say 300 in the Uk ( and fifty more travelling to Switzerland) . Switzerland sees about 1000 people a year die from assisted suicide, with an average age of 80. Cancer is the biggest underlying condition in 31% of all cases. The debate on this subject rages across the world. On the plus side it means people are in control, it relives suffering, enables dignity whilst dyeing, reduces the burden on the family and  reduces health care coasts. The arguments against are related to the sanctity of life, the slippery slope problem, vulnerability and coercion, undermining the medical profession and finally it ignores the possibility of diagnostic error 

So, Euthanasia is a very difficult subject and something people don't normally write songs about. But as you know I'm always up for a challenge. I’m an avid note taker in coffee houses, buses, trains, planes, you name it. I was reading a story about a couple, after a long and loving marriage, who decided to end it all, because one was critically ill, and the other one did not want to live without her. Crikey that’s about as emotional as you can possibly get. It's also a love story, perhaps one of the greatest love stories. I did not want to trivialise this subject, but on the other hand it is about two people who are still madly in love. So hopefully I got the balance about right. In the song the loving couple get straight to the point ‘Our wild days are nearly over. If we’re to die, we’ll die together. Vultures circulating overhead. The’ holy book remains unread’. They make a point about religion, maybe believing there is no afterlife – who knows. They sing, 'Tired of the vacation madness. We learnt to make do, with much less. We write, with gratitude, every day. Even Miss Hepburn had little to say. We had dinner late last night. When. We woke up, there was no guiding light’ The reference to Audrey Hepburn’s famous quote, is when she was asked to write her biography, she said, ‘why I have nothing to say’. The song then gets more serious with a line ,’ Ok, to let down folks, more spiritual. To explain, our end is consensual’ begore asking God one more question, ‘Who wants to live forever and ever Are you, their God? Should we surrender?. The man then shouts out loudly to his wife, ‘We reached the finish line. Beautiful, stays beautiful over time. I'll love you forever my angel. With wrinkles, old and graceful’. The final lines are , ‘The burning stars are still glowing. Suspicion about. Praying, is growing. Our family is about to be shocked. We've left our front door, unlocked’ – what a story ! Good of them leave the front door unlocked.