Would you take a Life Extension Pill?

If I offered you a pill that would make you live indefinitely, would you take it?

I used to ask this question to friends of mine, or sometimes to people I just met.  Why?  The answers I got were very revealing.

If the answer is that the world would become over populated if we extended life, then modern medicine is a moot point.  Why bother saving lives at all if we are all going to die eventually anyway?   Why not just accept death as a normal part of life and make room for the next person who was born today?   Of course, I am just being facetious.  My personal physician admitted to me he is just forestalling the inevitable, a fact I readily concede.   But I take his medication and his medical advice seriously.  Why?   Because I love my life!  And finally, I have to say the population argument does not hold water because we know how to prevent babies from being conceived.  We know how to use birth control, and each of us can help the world by limiting the number of people being born by taking precautions with our sexuality.

If the answer is that prolonging life is not God's plan and we should accept death so we can go to heaven to be with God for all eternity, then why not embrace death and kill ourselves now?  What is the point to living if it is for just a short time compared to eternity?   Again, I am being facetious and argumentative.  We each can and should do what we can to make the world a better place by having lived our lives as best we can. 

And I don't know about you, but there is so much I want to do before I die.  I love the concept of a "Bucket List" of things to see and do before we "kick the bucket" or "give up the ghost"!
What bothers me is that most bucket lists consist of places to travel or experiences like jumping out of an airplane, or eating exotic foods.  My bucket list consists of becoming more than I am.  For instance, I want to grow musically by learning to play improvisational jazz piano, and learn to speak Spanish fluently.

 And finally, what about those we love and care about?   We should do everything we can to help those we love develop into the people they want to be.   I get a kick out of sharing my life with others who are happy and having a blast doing what they do.

I hope you can see I would take that life extension pill in a heartbeat.   But that's just me. 

What about you?   What do YOU think?   Leave a comment!!!



R. Allan Worrell
Author:   Father John's Gift
Contact:  alw314@yahoo.com