ALANNA

I have been thinking about the meaning of life this week. Sharon’s niece, Alanna, died last week. On Saturday we attended a celebration of her life.

After a difficult pregnancy Alanna had profound challenges from birth. She could not see. She could barely walk. Her brain was a fraction of the size of an average brain. A doctor thought she would not survive longer than a month. She lived 33 years.

For her last 18 years she lived full time in the Sunshine home in Osler where she truly lived in a home not a house. The Sunshine home is a bright spacious inviting place. 

Her memorial card powerfully sets out her life:

For those who knew Alanna, she will be forever remembered for her captivating smile that invited others to be near her.  Music has always been an important part throughout her life. She listened to oceans waves, drumbeats, Lady Gaga and acoustic guitar that caregivers played for her.  Her favorite was caregivers singing softly in her ear, “You Are My Sunshine”, and “Jesus Loves Me”. She often joined by clapping or play her bells.

Alanna loved sunshine and coffee. Being able to sit on the deck on the warm, sunny days with her coffee brought her great joy. She enjoyed the solitude and peacefulness. She also enjoyed her warm, cozy room and long sleeps. 

Alanna loved her family and friends. Her best friends being Elena, Jesse and Josh. All the people at her home, past and present, made sure she had the best of everything and had special bonds with each of them. She has hosted many celebrations, events and visits for all her Sunshine friends. Alanna’s favorite was talking to her family and friends on the phone and listening to the voices on the other end.  Alanna loved having her hair combed and braided by dad and staff. She enjoyed meeting up with her mom and having a coffee together. 

Alanna was born November 9, 1990 at Yorkton Union Hospital to Bob and Vi Hartl. Alanna had 2 sisters Rebecca and Raylene. In her younger years she lived in Esterhazy where she attended school at P.J. Gillen Elementary School. In 1998 she moved to Warman with her family and attended Venture Heights School in Martensville. That year she also started transitioning to Sunshine Housing Inc. In 2006 Alanna moved permanently into her forever home where she resided until she passed away. 

Her Dad texted me about the importance of donating to care homes such as Sunshine Housing Inc.

Sharon and I did not have a role in her life. We admired and are humbled by the dedication and love given to her by her parents, her sisters and all the other caregivers for those 33 years.

In our present world I fear that Alana would not have been thought to have a meaningful life. I fear that a meaningful life currently requires good health, a full time job and not being dependent. I fear we do not respect and do not see dignity in the life of all.

Over 50 years ago in 2nd year university one of my classes was the Philosophy of Religion taught by Father Martin Biztyo. In that class I learned of Viktor Frankl, a Viennese psychiatrist and philosopher who thought deeply about life.

I subsequently read and reviewed in my blog his book, Man’s Search for Meaning. 

In my review of the book I said:

Frankl said it “does not matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us”. If suffering is your task in life it is necessary to face it with dignity. All life has meaning. He said those with religious faith understood their sacrifice.

I continued in my review:

A dying inmate cheerfully faced her death saying she was grateful that the brutal camp life had forced her spoiled pre-camp self to “take spiritual accomplishments seriously”.

A couple of years ago I read Louise Penny’s work of fiction The Madness of Crowds, a book in her long running series featuring Inspector Armand Gamache. I wrote several posts about the book.

In one of those posts I set out the philosophy of a statistician, Abigail Robinson, who was one of the primary characters: 

She has analyzed massive amounts of information on societies, trends and the Covid pandemic. She has taken a phrase of hope for recovery from the pandemic, All will be well, and twisted it into a phrase supporting her thesis that for the world to recover from the pandemic and thrive there needs to be “mercy” killings, especially of the aged, and abortions of the deformed unborn. Those who burden society are to be removed.

In another post I said:

Robinson does not value individuals. It is society - “people” as a group - which is valued by her. The greater good requires sacrifices.

By contrast, Gamache sees “people” as individuals. He sees persons not categories of worthy and unworthy members of society. 

Gamache has a beloved granddaughter, Idola, who has Down Syndrome.

I appreciate there are prospective parents who face difficult decisions on whether to continue pregnancies. I respect their individual choices. I abhor those who would create government programs that would condemn the aged and the unborn they consider unworthy.

Recently I read another work of crime fiction, The Discourtesy of Death by William Brodrick, in which a paraplegic young woman, Jenny, with terminal cancer dies. The book explores whether she died a natural death or someone assisted her to die or someone caused her to die.

In the book Jenny, a dancer until a devastating fall, initially thinks after becoming a paraplegic that her life has no value. She re-considers and passionately explains why she wants to live:

‘Now? she replied. ‘I want my life. I was ready to die before but now I want my life. I know that in one way it’s broken, disappointing, limited, worthless, empty and insignificant … but it’s mine. It’s all I’ve got. I’m still me. And I know it will soon become messy and painful and frightening, but I still want it. I want to live what I’ve got … do you understand? It’s as valuable to me now as it ever was. I’m still … full of something … and it can exhilarating, despairing, violent and peaceful - every state you can think of - and I just want to keep hold of it … for as long as possible.’

The song, This is Me, from the movie, The Greatest Showman, emphasizes the meaningfulness of every life. A link to a magnificent performance is below.

Alanna’s Dad sent me some thoughts after reading this post:

One thing that I have pondered.  Alanna lived 33 years, 2 months and 18 days.  Not once did she commit an act of greed or malice or hatred to another being or animal.  She liked some more than others but she could not be mean or jealous.  Not many humans I have met in my life can measure up to her character.  A human being incapable of being "bad". If there ever was an angelic human, it would be her.

As a practising Catholic and as a lawyer who has dealt with the challenges of people for almost 49 years I see all life as meaningful. Your life was meaningful Alanna. Rest in peace. 

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The initial singing of This is Me by Keala Settle for the cast of the movie is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLFEvHWD_NE