By Neal

When old people wither away, they are shuffled away to nursing homes as soon as they are unable to take care of their frail bones. Nursing homes shelter the old and hopeless when nobody else can. Is this a pleasant place to die in? Many, not all, just sit listlessly there, waiting for their best friend, longing for the bell to toll their forgotten name.

When the juice of life is all used up, what is the point of living a parody? Ulysses, the ageing Greek warrior in the poem ‘Ulysses’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson, wants to drink “life to the lees” and live with honor. For him, there can be no nursing home; rather he craves a glorious death, preceded by one last glorious adventure. There is no dignity dying in a nursing home. It is better to die with dignity intact than to live crippled and dishonored. It’s never too late to live. See the world, and live life to the lees. The Ulyssean way is the only way to live.