There is no doubt that we can sometimes feel wretched – if only we hadn’t done that thing, had that thought or said those words. It can be tough to reconcile how you’d prefer to behave with what you find yourself being tempted to do, as if there’s an inner battle. When we slip up, that’s when regret, guilt and inner condemnation pour in and wretchedness ensues as we hang our heads in shame.
When does life begin and when does it end? What is life? The answers to these fundamental questions present problems to ethicists, moralists, scientists, politicians and even Christians. Is the life of someone with a learning disability of any less value than a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize? Should someone in a coma have their life-support machine left turned on when there are few signs of life? Why do the majority of human beings cling to life but some want to abandon it? Is it still ‘life’ for a homeless person? An amputee? A person with a terminal illness? An elderly resident in a care home with dementia? The questions here get to the attitudes, values and beliefs that are at the core of your being. Have your thoughts shifted on abortion and euthanasia or do you have clear views on what is still ‘life’? A bowl of fruit such as this contains few answers but such ‘still life’ has inspired countless artists.
