Posted by dj on June 24, 2000, at 15:33:54
In reply to Re: Mileage, the BEAST, creativity--and survival ...., posted by harry b. on June 24, 2000, at 10:35:52
> As dj said, they have their time and place. >They are, I think, needed to define (inaccurate > term, I know) the impairment (another
> inaccurate term). At some point, I hope, the
> labels must be discarded or at least >integrated. That point, for me, will be when and >if I ever achieve a state of self-realization,
> self acceptance, self integration, and HOPE.
>
> Hope is the essence. Without the hope or belief
> that healing is possible, all else is futile.
Harry,Well noted! I've come to believe that it is even deeper than hope, it is faith that there is some deeper meaning behind this even when it is hard to see or feel because of the pain we are experiencing. The hope and faith can take one beyond the pain and alleviate and lessen suffering, though not necessarily eliminate it.
Terry Waite was the Archibishop of Canterbury's special envoy who was held captive in Lebanon for 1,763 days. In his book about his experience: "Taken on Trust" he quotes, in the wrap-up, these words which were written on the wall of a cellar where in which a victim of Hitler's persecution hid and died:
"I believe in the sun even when it is not shining.
I believe in love where feeling is not.
I believe in God even if he is silent."Many tales of people who have survived such manmade or medical atrocities helps me find the faith which has often faltered, particularly when I've been experiencing another seemingly inexplicable wave of deep anxiety, despair and/or depression, which I've done on many occassions in major ways. And yet I've managed to come through it all and hopefully will do so again or not even go down those roads or at least less so... Without faith in myself and my fellow beings and the core righeneouss of whatever inexplicable cosmic pattern governs all, I am lost.
And I am also lost if I don't dig deeply into my own experiences, familiarize myself with my own patterns and see what I can do to improve them an do it as I have been doing and continue to do, as I learn to trust and forgive myself more deeply and practice that compassion with myself and others, actively no matter what.
Sante!
dj
poster:dj
thread:37856
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000619/msgs/38274.html