Swiss inclines

Last night I watched Terry Pratchett's documentary Choosing to Die. I found it mostly both moving and reassuring to know that (if you have enough money and are able to travel, prove your mental competence, sign your name and drink a glass of liquid) you can die in comfort and dignity at Dignitas. My heart went out to Terry's assistant who was clearly not personally acquainted with the issues of life limiting illness and disability and clearly horrified. My heart went out to Terry as he struggles with the onset of Alzheimer's and British rejection of such a system so that those who wish to make that choice not only have to do so whilst still relatively physically and mentally fit but have to go to a Swiss industrial estate when they'd rather be at home or in favourite familiar surroundings. I was touched by those who respected their loved ones' desire not to suffer more and loved them still, came with them to see them off on their final journey...and by the gentleness of the staff.

I'm not going to go into the rights and wrongs. If I've offended anyone already I'm sorry. Switzerland is a place of which I'm fond anyway. It's clean and organised and breathtakingly beautiful. I'd hoped to go back there for a recuperative break when recuperation still seemed a possibility. I wanted to stay in a hotel room with a balcony overlooking a lake with trees and mountains reflected in the water. I wanted to ride on their amazingly efficient railway system with trains that run on time no matter what kind of snow, and eat delicious meals in their self service restaurants where a solitary diner doesn't have to feel ashamed.

My first gratitudes of the day are for a sensitive documentary covering a sensitive subject and for memories of a brief but happy Alpine holiday.