If there were one law I could change, it would be the one governing how a person is allowed to leave this life. For as long as I can remember, I’ve believed that the final chapter of a person’s life should belong to them—not to a system of medical rules, legal restrictions, or institutional policies that may not reflect their values, beliefs, or lived experience.

When I imagine the end of my life, I don’t imagine chaos, fear, or a long stretch of suffering. I imagine clarity. I imagine dignity. I guess the ability to say, “This is my body, my journey, and my final decision.” I don’t want my last days to be shaped by pain that feels unnecessary or by laws that insist I endure what I no longer have the strength or desire to bear.

To me, it seems deeply human to want agency over one’s own departure. People who are suffering—physically —should not be forced to endure pain simply because the law offers no compassionate alternative. No one should feel trapped in their own body or in a system that refuses to acknowledge their wishes.

I understand that hospitals have ethics committees, policies, and procedures. I know that lawmakers have concerns about safety, misuse, and moral implications. But those structures are not my personal ethics, nor are they the guiding principles of my life. At the end of the day, I believe a person’s permission—explicit, informed, and freely given—should matter. It should be honored.

Right now, euthanasia is illegal in every state. Some states allow what is often called “medical aid in dying,” but the person must administer the medication themselves. And even that option is not available everywhere. The patchwork of laws leaves many people without choices, without consistency, and without the ability to make decisions that align with their values.

I hope that one day, the law will evolve. That compassion will be seen not as a threat but as a guiding principle. That people across all states will have the right to make decisions about their own bodies and their own final moments—decisions rooted in dignity, clarity, and peace.

I don’t wish for anyone to be rushed, pressured, or influenced. I want to have the freedom to choose. The freedom to say, “I know what I want for my life, and I know what I want for my death.” And the freedom to respect that choice.