I recently came across a short YouTube clip of William F. Buckley discussing his views on death. I found it fascinating. Generally, I don’t share many of Mr. Buckley’s political views, and I would disagree with virtually all of his religious beliefs. But as he sat for this interview at age 81, there was something compelling about his candor.

He acknowledged several health issues, including diabetes, declining memory, and hearing difficulties. Yet, as you watched and listened, it was apparent that he remained largely in command of his intellectual faculties.

Buckley admitted that he was tired of living and saw little reason to continue. He spoke of the gradual deterioration of both body and mind. He also recalled an observation that young doctors are the enemies of old people because they want to keep you alive regardless of what you might want.

What the interview didn’t acknowledge was that Buckley’s wife had died approximately a month earlier. No doubt, her death weighed heavily on his mind and spirit. Perhaps his diminished enthusiasm for life had as much to do with that loss as it did with the inevitable consequences of aging.

I don’t fear death. I do fear how I die.

My father died at age 35 from a heart attack. From what I understand, his death was almost instantaneous. My mother lived to 93, but her final three years were spent battling dementia in a nursing home. The circumstances surrounding her final years still horrify me.

My sister died at 38 while undergoing surgery to remove a brain tumor. Her surgeon described the cause as a “fluke.” I cursed the fact that she died so young, but I have always been grateful that her death was apparently quick and painless.

These experiences have shaped my thinking about mortality. I am a proponent of euthanasia and the right of individuals, particularly those facing the inevitable decline of old age or a terminal illness, to have a say in when and how their lives end.

I recognize that this is a controversial position. Religious beliefs, medical ethics, and government regulations all enter into the debate. But I have difficulty accepting that any of those institutions should have the final word over an individual’s deeply personal decision about the end of life.

I don’t want to be kept alive simply because medical technology makes it possible. Nor do I want to spend my final years in a condition where I have lost my independence, my faculties, and the ability to enjoy the things that make life worthwhile.

I don’t fear being dead. I fear the possibility of a prolonged, painful, and undignified process of getting there.

At some point, I want to be able to make that decision for myself, with dignity and without unnecessary interference from doctors, religious institutions, or government.

I believe the right to live one’s life on one’s own terms should include, as much as legally and humanely possible, the right to determine how it ends.