Life or something like it

How do you define being alive?

Is it defined just by the act of breathing, the beating of a heart, the pumping of blood? Or is it more than that?

Is being alive, being truly alive, a matter of being able to do things with this breathing, beating, pumping body? Being able to dance, sing, walk, run, read a book, laugh, go to work, play some football, cook... how about just being able to really engage with and enjoy your family and friends? And what if you can't do any of that? Is that a life? Or, at least, is that one worth living?

And if it's not worth living, then what can you do about it? What if your body continues to breath, beat, pump? Do you just continue to exist in limbo?

And what about those you plan on leaving behind? Acceptance -- on their part -- calls for a total lack of selfishness. You'd think that would be hard. The funny thing is, it isn't. Not if you believe that a life is more than merely breathing, beating, pumping. Not if you remember who someone was when they were truly alive.