Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group The choice I make daily...

("Suicide is Painless" by Johnny Mandel) - M*A*S*H Lyrics


Through early morning fog I see
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see...

[chorus]:

That suicide is painless
It brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.

I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it's too late, and...

[Chorus]

The game of life is hard to play
I'm gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I'll someday lay
so this is all I have to say.

[Chorus]

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I'm beat
and to another give my seat
for that's the only painless feat.

[Chorus]

The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn't hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but...

[Chorus]

A brave man once requested me
to answer questions that are key
'is it to be or not to be'
and I replied 'oh why ask me?'

'Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
...and you can do the same thing if you choose.

I'll keep choosing life, today after today after today, but...

The choice is always there.

Sure makes you think doesn't it...life is a choice we make every day, great post!

Had it going round in my head to the tune of Tom Lehrer's lyric : 'The Hunting Song'. Very funny. Yes, got 'the' message, but still had to grin.

Thanks for the share -

Molly C (France)

Molly,

LOL--"...2 game wardens, 7 hunters and a purebred Guernsey cow!"

I have to admit Tom Lehrer has "influenced" my entire view of the world.

But two of his inspirations--Gilbert and Sullivan--are also ever more relevant to me; for some reason I keep repeating over and over certain lines from HMS Pinafore (well, just about every time a certain world leader speaks).

HEALTH,
John

My daughter introduced me to "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park", but I didn't know the author and never pursued it. Thanks for the heads up. I'm going to check Tom Lehrer out.

Good choice. The most common label my parents and friends put on me is "perseverant". I keep on keeping on.

Hey, Johnico:

"You realize that suicide's a criminal offense — In less enlightened times they'd have hung you for it." (George Spiggott).

Well, early in my AS experience I considered taking the 'easy way out,' but after studying my particular situation it turns out that that would have greatly increased my suffering, overall.

So, words to a song are just words to a song--and perhaps not even close to reality: "What Dreams May Come?" Today, I fear them not.

My daily choices are much easier--iodine is a great early warning that helps me with the decisions.

Best to You,
John

One of my dearest friends had a son who committed suicide. I can't describe the anguish and pain that family went through. While her son's pain was gone with his death, the family will feel pain and suffering for the rest of their lives.
Donna

John, I've always liked the lyrics to that song. Thanks for posting them. They do make one think, don't they.

Hugs,

Donna,

Sorry to hear about your friend's loss.

I know better than most what it leaves behind. I've been the guy with the paint scraper, pulling buckshot, skull fragments and grey matter off the drywall; trying to collect the right amount of meat from the top and sides of a railroad flatcar after some kid deliberately hit it at 135 mph on his motorcycle; and what a body looks like after ten days in a seedy un-air conditioned motel room at the height of Tennessee summer. I've been Kevorkian at some poor idiot's suicide by cop. I still see his face some nights. It ties up cops by sometimes weeks to clear the case. It's one reason among many I returned to the Army and found a different line of work. In order, psychiatrists have the most suicides, law enforcement is second, and the medical profession overall is third.

So, a day at a time, an hour at a time, some days one minute, one second at a time...

I choose life.

But sometimes it sucks.