ON BEING A MOTHER

Editor's Note:

The following story was forwarded to me by my neice. It has so impressed

me with its relevance and its urgency that I felt compelled to pass it on

to every one about whom I care. The author is unknown, but its content

relates to all of us, and its message is directed to each of us, personally.

After 17 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said, 'I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.'
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been alone for 20 years, but the demands of my work and my two boys had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.
That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. 'What's wrong, aren't you well?' she asked; My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news. 'I thought it would be pleasant to spend some time with you,' I responded, 'Just the two of us.'She thought about it for a moment, and then said, 'I would like that very much.'
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last birthday on November 19th.
She smiled with a face that was as radiant as an angel's. 'I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said, as she got into my new white van. 'They can't wait to hear about our date'.
We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. 'It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small,' she said. 'Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor,' I responded.
During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation, nothing extraordinary, but catching up on events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie, but neither of us cared.
As we arrived at her house later, she said, 'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.' I agreed willingly and hoped it would be soon.
'How was your dinner date?' asked my wife when I got home. 'Very nice, I answered, much more so than I could ever have imagined and I have you to thank for this.'


A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her.

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined. An attached note said: 'I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.'
At that moment, I understood the importance of always saying; 'I LOVE YOU' and of giving our loved ones the time that they deserve and they need. Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve.
These things must never be put off till 'some other time',
.....for that time may never come.

< >

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal

after you've had a baby.
Somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother,

'normal' is history.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct
Somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring.

Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager
with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a 'good' mother,

your child will 'turn out good'.

Somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother
Somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.

Somebody said you can't love the second child

as much as you love the first.
Somebody doesn't have two children.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery.

Somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten,

or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.

'Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after herchild gets married.
Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law
to the mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home.

Somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her,
so you don't need to tell her.

Somebody isn't a mother.

…..Author Unknown

LIFE AND YOU (I)

Editor's Note:

The following is a random collection on the meaning of life based on

quotations from the greatest authors and philosophers over the ages.

The interpretations are strictly those of the editor, but the message is

universal and worthy of serious consideration.

1.
“If you want to know the past, to know what has caused you;
Look at yourself in the Present, for that is the past's effect.
If you want to know your future, then look at yourself in the Present;
For that is the cause of the future."

The above quotation taken from the Majjhima Nikaya, the Buddhist holy book, speaks volumes to anyone in search of self determination. The message is both simple and profound.

You are the collective unconsciousness of all that has gone before you, and within you lies everything that has occurred in the past that has caused you to be who you are. Like the rings in the great oak tree that tells us everything, good and bad, that has occurred over the centuries of its life, so too are you, a true reflection of your past.

Therefore it is vitally important that you spend time to reflect on all that has gone before you and to learn from this who you really are and where you want to be. For without this knowledge, your future will be nothing but a random series of encounters without reason and without direction and your journey through life will be that of the lowly ant;

You arrive, you live and you die and you leave a void

to be filled by the next ant.

Instead, your life will have true meaning only if you understand whom you really are, what your role is meant to be and above all, you follow the path laid out for you, to reach the glory that you are destined to be.

2.
"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project,

all your thoughts break their bonds:

our mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction,

and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world.

Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive,

and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far

than you ever dreamed yourself to be."

These words, contained in a brief introductory statement in the enormously influential Yoga Sutras, acknowledged as the foundational text of Yoga, crystallize the wisdom of one of India's greatest philosophers Patanjali.

The fundamental aim of Yoga is to assist us to attain a better understanding of ourselves, and to achieve a higher level of awareness and enlightenment. By encountering and transcending all our weaknesses and our inadequacies, we are able to unleash a more confident and comfortable attitude in our lives and exercise better control of our environment.
All of us will have no difficulty in identifying people in our lives whose actions we have admired and respected. We have tended to assign special status to these people and place them in special categories. But the truth is that we all possess the potential to transcend our limitations. We need only to find the key to unlock the energy within us, to control the negative shackles that bind us and to release the power within us.
Yoga, by a system of profound meditation and self evaluation, is designed to release these energies and assist us to arrive at that exalted position of union of the body, the mind and the spirit where our true self emerges.
But the truth is that we do not need to be practitioners of Yoga to achieve our full potential. What we do need however, is a process of systematically identifying, encountering and overcoming each of our negative constraints, neutralizing their impact upon us and thus allowing the free spirit to come alive.
To achieve this, we must begin by adopting a sense of purpose and direction, and to working diligently to achieve this. Whichever you choose however, must be consistent with the basic principles of life and the natural laws of nature of doing no harm to others, recognizing the unity of all living beings and a sense of universal humanity.

This is, and has always been, the underlying principle of all the great religions of the world and one which will carry you to the pinnacle of your potential.




3.
"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness.
Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost."

Often quoted by His Holiness Dalai Lama, this statement is a powerful indictment of the hypocrisy and prejudice that exists in the world. We are quick to judge others who appear or think or act different than us. We have all grown up with such deep seated prejudices that we instinctly believe that what we do is always correct and therefore anything that is different is likely to be wrong.

No one really takes the time to teach us that in nature there are invariably many solutions to an existing situation, and that they are all correct. This single omission is directly responsible for all the tragedies, all the suffering, all the antagonisms that exist between and among individuals, groups, communities and nations.
It is a lot easier to blame others for our own shortcomings and distinctly more convenient to maintain power and control by projecting the difference in others as a threat to survival.

Throughout the ages in every society and among all peoples of the world, there has occurred such vast and unwarranted suffering in the name of difference than in anything else. We have used the excuse of race, religion, appearance and social status to perpetrate these atrocities and continue to do so presently.
Yet the fundamental truth is that our lives will become so much more fulfilled if we begin to set aside our fears and prejudices and learn to accept all others for who they really are, rather than who we think they might be.

A life dominated by love and understanding, rather than the present distrust and fear should be the unequivocal goal of all who genuinely seek the true nirvana .


4.

"Too many of us are not living our dreams,
because we are living our fears."

This quotation attributed to the American motivational speaker, Les Brown, has always been one of my favorites. During my many years of medical practice I have had innumerable opportunities to refer to it with my patients to illustrate a fundamental truth.

There is no doubt in my mind that at some time or another we have all fallen victim of failing to achieve our dream because of fear and anxiety. As a result we suffer significant loss and regret. In fact it represents the single most important factor which limits human behavior and compromises the choice of action.
We see it in so many situations; when the child holds back from jumping into the pool, or riding the bicycle or approaching the teacher because of the fear of failure. We also see it when we avoid accepting a challenge or stepping forward to assist because we may falter, or when we fail to comment on a situation to avoid embarrassment or to hurt others. The outcome of all of these inevitably leaves a sense of dissatisfaction and regret.
In the wider picture when we deliberately submerge our deepest desires, hopes and dreams of achieving a goal because of a paralysis of fear or inadequacy, we inevitably suffer pangs of regret and negativity that leave scars and compromise further action, affecting even our psyche.
The answer to this state of mind involves first being honest to yourself and recognize your failing, and then converting this insight into positive action by developing a sense of direction and purpose and acting in faith until confidence is restored.

Without this, we will end up like so many people, drifting hopelessly in the seas of despair subjected to the tides and winds around us and seeking help from anyone and everyone.

FAREWELL TO CLAY, Does anyone really care?

“In life he had nothing: no money, no home, no family.

In death he had a full-dress honor guard,

prayers from a holy man and tears from grateful strangers.

Thomas Allen Clay, a Minnesota native, Vietnam veteran

and man of the streets,

was buried in full military tradition Friday at the South Florida National

Cemetery west of Lake Worth, the area's only veterans cemetery.”

The above caption introduced an excellent article written by the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel reporter Robert Nolin in a recent edition of the newspaper*. A well balanced, sensitive and informative article, it dealt with a topic which, as a society, we have been trying to ignore for a very long time but some how continues to grow with each passing year.

Mr. Nolin, in a precise and accurate assessment, described the situation in the following terms:

“Clay represents a larger problem:

One in four homeless people are veterans,

but given the fluidity of their existence, hard figures are elusive.

Estimates of their numbers nation wide, range from 107,000 to 250,000.

Various groups peg Florida's homeless vets at between 8,600 and 19,000.

Whatever the statistics, they are a presence in Florida,

the state with the third largest number of veterans.”

Other authoritative sources have confirmed these statistics in a number of studies. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that in any given night more than 200,000 Homeless Veterans walk the streets. Even the official Government estimates (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs) place the numbers at 131,000 in any given night and approximately twice that number experience homelessness over the course of a year.

Many causes have been ascribed to this abnormally large percentage of the homeless population. Clearly social isolation, unfortunate economic conditions and inadequate housing opportunities all play a major role in its etiology as well as the gross inability of the V. A. system to respond to the enormous demands. But equally important, is society’s ambivalence to the peculiar needs of these unfortunate people and its desire to ignore them by consigning them, and isolating them to its rubbish heaps that is the homeless population.

Some of the causes among returning veterans that have a high correlation with homelessness are Mental Health problems resulting from Post-traumatic Brain Injuries(TBI) or Stress Disorders (PTSD) causing significant impairment in normal function, difficulty in maintaining stable relationship and increased tendency to unstable behavior. In addition the high rates of Alcohol and Drug abuse, the unrealistic multiple combat deployments and the extended separation from family and employment only served to damage the family commitments and encourage conflict after returning. It is no surprise that more than half the homeless veterans find themselves involved with law enforcement. Many of these being the result of reports originating from members of the public who demand that they be put away “for good”. (In this context I am reminded of Willy the Vagrant about whom I previously referenced in a fictional essay, who was banned by the local police from coming for his morning coffee as the result of the complaint of an insensitive mother because he might “act out” in front her child).

There is no question in my mind that Society’s attitude to its homeless veteran population is correlated to the actual conflict that produced these veterans. The veterans of World War II, a popular war that involved the entire population, were far better assimilated and cared for than those of the very unpopular and to some experts, unjustified Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts.

The majority of the older homeless veterans saw active duty in Vietnam, but unfortunately their ranks are rapidly being filled by new “recruits” from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. Even more tragically, these include both male and female soldiers with much more serious disabilities and more serious management problems involving children. When this is added to the very large population of very seriously injured veterans who normally would have died from their wounds but who have survived as a result of miraculous advances in medicine, the final picture is mind boggling.

Although we were assured by current Secretary of Veteran Affairs, General Eric K. Shinseki, that “No one who has served the United States in uniform should ever end up living in the streets”, the fact is the V.A. system is so overburdened and underfunded that, with all the best intentions, it is virtually impossible to achieve much more than provide where possible, a full military burial and a grave site in the local National Cemetery. Until then, it would seem that we are committed at best, to continue to treat our veterans in the manner described by General Shinseki himself:

“When I arrived, the homeless program primarily involved engaging veterans

that sleep on the streets and getting them to shelter.
The deeper I dug into it, I realized that it assured that we’d be dealing

with homeless veterans forever, because the system is reactive.
You wait to see who shows up on the streets, you go out and try to encourage them

to leave the streets and provide them safe shelter and warm meals.”

The real truth is that until genuine and serious efforts are made to address the underlying causes of homelessness among veterans, including the reckless commitment of soldiers to unjustified, unwarranted and extended conflicts, this tragedy will continue to plague America’s societies. And people like Clay will continue to live in artificial oblivion, hidden away from the rest of us and upon dying we try to sublimate our guilt by providing a full military burial with a full dress honor guard.
……AS IF CLAY REALLY CARED!



*http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-veteran-funeral-20100924,0,2532974.story

LIVING WITH CHARITY-A Personal View

For as long as man has inhabited the earth Charity has existed. In basic terms it means being loving and caring towards others in need. It exists, to a greater or lesser extent among all peoples and religions, where the provision of alms is embedded in the teachings and practices. It is most extensively developed in the “Abrahamic” religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, where it constitutes a major foundation of belief that its practice “glorifies and pleases God.” The Holy Bible, both the Old and New Testament, and the Talmud contain an abundance of references attesting to the cardinal demand for “Obedience to God and care of the needy.” Islam is equally referenced. In the Koran, charity is referred to as “Zagat” and is considered to be one of the five pillars on which the Muslim faith is based.

In all of us, the concept of charity is deeply engrained as an action that should be admired, respected and emulated and that the charitable practitioner deserves special acknowledgement and recognition for his actions. To some extent, successful people are measured by their attitude in fostering and encouraging charity to others. In the same way, a society that promotes and facilitates charity to the needy, by providing organizations or opportunity to its members to assist in caring and alleviating the needs of the less fortunate is always held in higher regard.

Charity takes many forms and has as many reasons, but in all cases it can only be genuine if the real intention is helping the needy and not for personal aggrandizement. In my experience there is always a very strong underlying emotional component associated with giving that reflects the true personality of the giver and confirms the old adage, “You can always tell a man by how he gives.”

Take for example the case of two of the world’s richest men, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett , who recently announced their intention to pledge much of their own wealth to charitable causes designed to improve the health and welfare of people worldwide, beginning during their lifetime and continuing on. This decision speaks volumes to the character of these men who, on the one hand, are recognized as strong willed, determined and uncompromising businessmen who will spare nothing to dominate and succeed in the business world, and yet be sensitive enough to recognize the overwhelming good that can be achieved in the welfare of millions of the less fortunate of the world. The difference is even more commendable when this action is compared to those of so many other people who choose to spend their riches on collecting multimillion dollar homes and planes and boats and cars and “wives”, while totally ignoring the rest of the world. The world is full of these people and their names and pictures are prominently displayed in every form of public media and sadly, with public acceptance and adoration.

But men like Gates and Buffett are not unique. They have always been around in every generation as well-meaning philanthropists motivated to give back some of their success by improving the lot of those people in need. The great industrialist, Andrew Carnegie, accepted by many as the first of the great modern philanthropists, in his essay entitled The Gospel of Wealth, recorded his concept “that rich men are trustees of their wealth and should administer it for the good of the public". He spent his life in this pursuit of providing educational opportunities, libraries, schools and universities and in the search for international peace. No surprise that names like Carnegie, Gates and Buffett will live on in the hearts and minds of people the world over, long after the names of so many of their equally successful peers, with their wealth and accompanying “bling”, have been buried into oblivion by“the sands of time.”

The world is full of people who chose to give of themselves and their possessions to help others. They do it voluntarily, often at great personal inconvenience and discomfort, because of a profound desire to give back. I personally hold these people in highest esteem for in my mind they live the true Christian ideals. Consider the very successful Irish entertainer, Bono (Paul Hewson), who has spent his professional life parlaying his fame into a universal campaign to persuade governments worldwide to improve the humanitarian needs of their people. This is but one of the many examples of successful individuals who give their names and their efforts to benefit others. They all deserve our deep-felt gratitude and our respect. Especially when compared with their equally successful “material” peers who prefer to be seen in the latest issues of People Magazine or Vanity Fair, or worse than this, spend their time in a Drunken or Drug induced stupor.

But charity is not solely restricted to successful and well motivated businessmen and is most certainly not reserved to a special group. Every moment of every day in every corner of the world, a charitable event unfurls and someone gives while another benefits. All of these are as important as the organized and supervised programs run by an organization. Real charity begins at home, in our families, in our personal contacts, in our neighborhood and in each life. It is a sacred duty of parents to teach by word and by example, the true value of charity. To me, giving charity however desirable, is a very personal undertaking and reflects the true character of the individual and is much more related to intent rather than content. In this context, I am reminded of the comment of Jesus Christ, contained in the Holy Scripture in Luke 21:1-4:

“He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury;
and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins, and he said,
"Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them;
for they all contributed out of their abundance,
but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had."

Ask yourself, how much better this world would be if each one of us took the time to show love and caring to a fellow human being who needed that one-on-one contact. To quote Louis Armstrong's, one of the greatest entertainers the world has ever seen, conclusion:

“What a wonderful world this will be”.

< >

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three;
But the greatest of these is Charity.
……I Corinthians 13:13

Charity suffers long, and is kind; Charity envies not;
Charity vaults not itself, is not puffed up.
……. I Corinthians 13:4

Charity, well directed, should begin at home.
……Joaquin Miller

Charity and personal force are the only investments worth anything.
…… Walt Whitman

The practice of Charity will bind us;
It will bind all men in one great brotherhood.
……Conrad Hilton

Charity is a virtue of the heart, and not of the hands.
……Joseph Addison

The smallest act of charity shall stand us in great stead.
…..Francis Atterbury

True charity is spontaneous and finds its own occasion;
it is never the offspring of importunity, nor of emulation.
……Hosea Ballou

The Charities of life are scattered everywhere;
Enameling the vales of human beings as the flowers paint the meadows.
They are not the fruit of study, nor the privilege of refinement,
and need no trumpet in the receiver.
……Francis Beaumont

True Charity, a plant divinely nursed.
…..William Cowper
The highest exercise of Charity is charity towards the uncharitable.
…..Joseph Stevens Buckminster

He who receives Charity, should never forget it;
he who does one, should never remember it.
…….Pierre Charron

A rich man without charity is a rogue;
And it would be no difficult matter to prove that he is also a fool.
…..Henry Fielding

The man who cannot live with charity, sharing other men's pain,
is punished by feeling his own, with intolerable anguish.

…….Cesare Pavese

WHERE HAVE YOU GONE HOLLY?

“When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here,
that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.

There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends,
so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine,
….and our friends are warm and comfortable.”

These beautifully written words from The Rainbow Bridge poem, attracted my attention as I searched for something to say to the heart broken little girl upon hearing of the abrupt and sad loss of a little creature who answered to the name Holly.

I had met Holly just two weeks earlier when I visited the home. For some strange reason I found her trying to snuggle up to my leg as soon as I sat down. This was quite unusual for me, for although I like pets, I do not usually pay attention to them and their attempts to draw attention. But this one was different. I am not sure whether it was her intelligent face, or her wide, inquisitive eyes or the way she waited eagerly for my response, or perhaps the exquisite drawing of her face done by the little girl that sat in a frame on the table in front of me. Whatever the reason, the little puppy left an impression which even now, several weeks after the unfortunate incident, remains.

Having been a physician for more than fifty years, I have had my fair share of dealing with families of people who have passed on and have spent many hours helping them to cope with the loss. Also during my own life I too, like everyone else, have lost close relatives and friends and have experienced the pain and sadness and regrets that follow the event. You would therefore expect that with that background, I should be able to comfortably deal with any such event. Let me assure this is far from the truth, and like anyone else, the loss of life carries a painful responsibility.

This is no different with the loss of a favored pet. In my own family, I witnessed the pain and sorrow of my youngest daughter when her lovebird, Kiki, died, the genuine emotional outburst in my wife and son after Boojou’s demise and the sadness and regret in the faces of our neighbors after their dog passed on. To each one of them the loss was indeed genuine and true.

Yet in all these cases the skeptic would respond, in good faith, with a word of reassurance that all is not lost for the pet could be replaced. They will never understand the outright rejection of this suggestion and the insistence that the loss was irreplaceable.

And so it should be, for I can think of nothing else that provides complete, total and unreserved loyalty and love, without any preconceived rules or conditions or expectations as a pet. This indeed is the real definition of a Pet. Their love is unconditional and they will unhesitatingly give their life in defense or service of their masters.

My own personal views were tempered many years ago as a young boy after our family watchdog, Bobby, was poisoned by a neighbor whom he constantly prevented from stealing mangoes from our tree. My immediate response was one of anger and of sorrow, but I still remember the advice of Mr. Thomas, an older man and friend of my father, who reminded me that we should be happy for Bobby for having had the opportunity to feel the love and attention of his masters. A very spiritual man, he believed that pets were placed here by God to teach us what unconditional love really means, and what God expects from us. I remembered thinking that if this was true, then Bobby had indeed done a great job.

In his humble simplicity perhaps Mr. Thomas may well have touched on the real purpose of a pet in the lives of people. Perhaps this may indeed be the way that God has chosen to teach us the real meaning of faith and being true Christians. You only have to compare the absolute trust, love and loyalty of the pet against the distrust, aggression and antagonism of its cousin in the wild to be convinced. So in a way we should rejoice when our pet passes on and instead of being sad and depressed we should take time to thank God for sending it to us to teach us the way to be good children of God.

In this context, with apologies to Simon and Garfunkel, as well as “Mrs. Robinson”, I have adapted their famous song to honor Holly and all the other pets who have devoted their lives in the service of their masters:

"And here's to you, Baby Holly.
Jesus loves you more than you will know.
Woah, woah, woah.
God bless you please, Baby Holly.
Heaven holds a place for those who pray.
Hey hey hey, Hey hey hey."

LIFE WITH MIRACLES, a personal view

LIFE WITH MIRACLES - a personal view!

"There are only two ways to live your life;
One is as though nothing is a Miracle.
The other is as though everything is a Miracle".

This statement recorded by Albert Einstein, the great German-American theoretical physicist, philosopher and author, universally regarded as one of the world’s most influential and best known scientists, encapsulates to me, by its clarity and simplicity, the true status of Miracles in our society.

Where many of his scientific collegues denied the existence of a Supreme Being, and insisted that all of nature and its laws can be explained on the basis of predictable evolution, he held firmly to the belief that the universe had to be the work of a supernatural entity. He expressed this view thus:

“Every one who is seriously involved in the pursuit of science,
becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe.
-- A spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one, in the face of which,
we, with our modest powers, must feel humble.”

To him, life itself was a miracle. He did not feel that he needed to explain or define those events that cannot be explained by the known laws of nature. He had no difficulty in assigning these occurrences to either the result of our incomplete knowledge, or to a “superior spirit”. But Einstein, as well as others like the great Portuguese Philosopher Spinoza and so many of the world great scientists, while accepting the existence of a superior spirit, were unwilling to accept the concept of a Personal God and all that it implies.

To me this view is unfortunate and incomplete, for one does not need to witness a miracle to believe in a God of miracles. Although I have never witnessed a true miracle in my lifetime, I believe firmly, that they do occur and that they are the work of an Almighty God and that they appear as part of a Divine Plan.

In strict scientific terms, Miracles are defined as events which occur as a result of the “divine” intervention of some supernatural entity or outside force, must survive rigorous scrutiny and must fulfill rigid criteria. History is replete with records of miracles that have occurred and of their impact on the society. All the great religions, past and present, have acknowledged their existence and have given them prominent positions in their literature. Miracles play a central role in the Christian churches, in Islam and in Judaism. The New and Old Testament of the Holy Bible, the Holy Koran and the Talmud contain an abundance of references of events that are true miracles. Many of the great philosophers and thinkers have spent there lives in the search and understanding of these events. A study of any of these miracles readily reveals clear evidence of divine intervention with an intention or fulfillment of a purpose. There is no evidence of an indiscriminate or purposeless occurrence but rather the deliberate work of the Almighty God over his domain. But we do not need to witness such miracles to be convinced of God’s presence or power.

But “Miracle” also has a casual usage which is a very important and fundamental component to life and living. It is often used in the context of a variety of unusual events occurring most often with beneficial outcomes that were unexpected but hoped for. We can all relate to these and when they occur they are accepted as such, without giving rise to doubt or challenge. Such occurrences, like surviving a natural disaster, or a life threatening situation, or avoiding a harmful outcome, or receiving unexpected good news are viewed as evidence of “the hand of the Almighty at work” and more or less accepted by all but the most skeptical among us. Deepak Chopra, the Indian-American Physician and Public Speaker, was speaking for every believer when he expressed his views as follows:

“Miracles happen every day.
Not just in remote country villages,
or at holy sites halfway across the globe,
but here, in our own lives”.

Over the many years of my life, both professional and personal, I have witnessed and can attest to a large number of events which have left me in awe, without a reason or an explanation. Some are striking and dramatic as was the case of a young man not quite 29 years old, diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia who was told by a highly respected Oncologist that his prognosis was very guarded, yet was alive and well ten years after, or the severe post-traumatic accident victim who regained consciousness more than 18 months after the accident and went on to lead a full life, or the case of a 67 year old man who received a direct lightening strike while playing golf, was completely knocked out, yet got up shortly after and went home. But stunning as these may be, they are but a small part of the miracles of life around us. In fact, I share this view that life itself is the miracle, and that their presence is more a measure of the individual and the extent of their imagination.

In the end, the final decision as to the existence of miracles is, and will always be, left up to the individual and his personal beliefs and faith. As Nancy Gibbs, the author, commentator and editor for TIME magazine, so eloquently observed:

“For the truly faithful, no Miracle is necessary.
For those who doubt, no Miracle is sufficient”.

THE TABLE CLOTH

THE TABLE CLOTH

Editor’s Note: The following short story was forwarded to me

by my niece. The story is supposed to be a true story related

by Pastor Rob Reid. But even if it is not so, the message it

relays is worthy of repeating over and over to everyone of us,

if only to reinforce the need for us to keep our faith in God’s

goodness.

The brand new pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, to reopen a church in suburban Brooklyn, arrived in early October excited about their opportunities.
When they saw their church, it was very run down and needed much work. They set a goal to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.

They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc, and on December 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On December 19 a terrible tempest - a driving rainstorm hit the area and lasted for two days. On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high.

The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed that a local business was having a flea market type sale for charity, so he stopped in. One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center. It was just the right size to cover the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church.

By that time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area. Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was as pale as a sheet as she quietly asked:
"Pastor, where did you get that tablecloth?"

The pastor then explained that he bought it at a flea market sale at the local business. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. They were. Those were the initials of the woman, and she had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria.
The woman could hardly believe it as the pastor told how he had just gotten the tablecloth. The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. He was captured, sent to prison and never saw her or heard from husband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home. That was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.
What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return. One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood continued to sit in one of the pews and stare, and the pastor wondered why he wasn't leaving.

The man asked him where he got the tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to one that his wife had made years ago when they lived in Austria before the war and how could there be two tablecloths so much alike. He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he encouraged his wife to flee for her safety and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again and did not know if she is still alive.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and then witnessed the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

< >

This true story was submitted by Pastor Rob Reid who

ascribes this as yet another example of how God does work

in mysterious ways. When here is nothing left but God;

..that’s when you find out that God is all you need.

IN SEARCH OF THE BUTTERFLY

Editor's note:
This is a short story composed by me a few years ago. It dealt with
a set of events occuring at the time. But I believe it remains relevant
and applicable today.

In Search of the Butterfly
A Short Account of a Young Man’s Quest

1.

The young man laid prostrate on the dry, stony bank of the flowing river, his eyes glistening from the steady tears that trickled down his sad and convoluted face. This was indeed a low moment in his short and as yet, unfulfilled life. He had already passed one and one half score in years and had nothing tangible to show, except, an Apartment of his own, two Dogs and a new car. His faith was surely under siege but he remained steadfast in his resolve. Over and over he repeated the battle cry which had served to sustain the negro slaves in their moments of despair;

“I shall overcome, some day, some day.”

Day by day, he had faced slings and barbs from his closest family. His mother, whom he dearly loved, had recently adopted the “poor-me-one” approach. Whenever he was present, she will immediately become morose, depressed and withdrawn, go directly to her bed clutching her bible and repeat over and over;

“Why me Oh Lord! Why me?”
What have I done to deserve this punishment?”

The father, not to be outdone, displayed, in no uncertain manner, his absolute contempt and disappointment. In his classic, bone-chilling demeanor, he had adopted a degree of shearing sarcasm that rivaled the true masters. As soon as the young man appeared, he would immediately transform his attitude in such a manner as to leave no doubt about his displeasure. He compounded this unbearable agony by a total denial of even the slightest acknowledgement of the yeoman effort delivered by the young man. Although he received constant congratulations from all his peers for the conduct of the business, he never ever acknowledged the contributions of his son. He would rather give praise to his paid employees, often acknowledging Irene, Jaime or even Dwight, showering unsolicited praise upon them.

All of this was done as part of an elaborate scheme, planned and developed by his wife, to stimulate this young man “to action.” She was in fact very experienced in this activity; not only as a result of her peculiar genetic constitution, but also from her past experience in this matter. As a seventeen year old, she successfully planned, developed, initiated and implemented a coup on her unsuspecting husband-to-be, to the extent that he was transformed overnight into a state of “stupor”. Even to this day he remains “mesmerized” in her presence.

2.

One day, as the young man sought refuge on the bank of the river, there came upon him a “visitation”. Instantly he recognized the true import of this visit as he recalled the words of the wise old man, whom he knew only as “Papa Da” and frequently visited to seek comfort and counsel. The old man would provide support, advice and encouragement, and would always remind him that he must prepare himself for the “visitation”. When pressed, he would always add;

“You will know when it comes by the sound of the wind.

Just listen for the sound”.

The memory of this day is indelibly etched in the depth of his soul and remains as vivid now, as he replays the events in his mind’s eye, as they did at the fateful moment of occurrence. No doubt they will continue to remain as crisp, in perpetuity, passing on from generation to generation. He had drifted into a self induced hypnotic state in the manner taught to him by Papa Da, and as he entered the “place of secure enchantment”, he became aware of a soothing, gentle breeze blowing across his face. It was so gentle yet awesome, so quiet yet as thunderous as a booming cannon, so sweet, yet as overpowering as the finest perfume.
With the breeze, he became aware of a sound, quite unlike anything he had heard before. Although he knew better, it felt as if he was at The "Royal Vic” listening to the greatest rendition ever, of “Handel’s Messiah” by the London Symphony Orchestra, or at the “Royal Albert Hall” enjoying the solo renditions of Joan Baez at her very best. His heart was racing, trying desperately to keep up with his screaming mind, but never quite catching up. His body felt as if he was deep inside an active “Mt. Kilimanjaro”, but he knew this was not so, for he was cool to touch. He knew instinctively that this was indeed the “visitation” promised by Papa Da. He also knew that the time was at hand and that, ready or not, his life was about to undergo a significant metamorphosis.

3.

The moment had indeed arrived. The culmination of a long and tortuous journey that took him to the far corners of the world, crossing continents, time zones, oceans and islands. Meeting and exploring peoples, cultures, attitudes and appearances. Studying genetics and genealogy, likes and dislikes, family and non-family, and yet finding nothing but disappointment and his mother’s frustration. This was more than he could handle. But for the steadfast support of Papa Da, he surely would have succumbed to the machinations of his mother and settled down with a “nice family girl.”

For one fleeting instant, he was overcome by the aura of the most beautiful butterfly he had experienced. It fluttered gently and gracefully around his face and as it did so, he was aware of an indescribable sensation of sheer joy and surrender. He recalled it was not unlike the feelings he experienced when he opened the bottle of pure, extra distilled, Vintage Virgin Olive Oil extracted from the first crop of olives from the sacred Olive Groves situated at the foothills of Mount Olive in the ancient hills of Lebanon, given as a special gift to his father. Suddenly, he was overcome with the desire to search out this butterfly, to gently caress its beauty and take her home to meet his mother.

He woke up with a start, he must find the butterfly, but except for the Olive Grove, he had no idea of how to begin. He thought that he may have to visit Lebanon and search the sacred groves. But that was not easy to do and there was no guaranty of success. The vision consumed his every moment. He was driven to solve this dilemma.

4.

His parents were not helpful. His father questioned whether he was on “crack”. His mother said that she would speak to Fr. Mullen who knew everything and also advised him to go to confession and to daily morning mass.
Papa Da on the other hand, was not surprised. In fact he was expecting this news, for had he not spoken to him in the past and advised him to listen for the “sound”. Taking hold of the young man’s hands, the old man guided him to a special garden with a gentle stream and a pond filled with the most beautiful Koi fish he had ever seen. He closed his eyes, paused for a brief moment and then spoke thus:

“Young man, you must never forget that;
The most exquisite Flower always grows in your own garden.
The most beautiful Rainbow is seen from your porch.
The Sun is strongest and the Moon is brightest from your window.
Your Heart’s desire is always present at your finger tips.
Seek out your wishes and they will find you.
Open your heart to Life around you,
and you will find the Life is within you.”

And so it came to pass, armed with this advice, the young man moved resolutely forward to search out his destiny.

Upon hearing this, his mother miraculously recovered and began to shower him with love and attention. Instead of the bible, she brought out her I-Pod and resumed listening to her old favorites, Barbara Streisand, Elton John and John Lennon. The father, not to be undone, immediately perked up, and holding the latest photo of his son wearing a “speedo” outfit, did not hesitate to brag to all, about his one and only. He even went so far as to admonish his sons-in-law to be more like him.
……..Life was indeed getting good again.

5.

It did not take long to happen, nor was it a chance encounter. For It was written in the ancient scrolls of life and just required the correct juxtaposition of events to come to pass.
……..And so it did one warm and beautiful August day!

On that fateful day he suddenly became aware of a strange feeling within him. He remembers it well. It was a hot, still summer’s day, yet he felt a cool breeze blowing over him. There was not a sound to be heard, yet he was sure that he experienced the most beautiful music he had ever heard. He looked around to identify the source. There was no one of consequence. His sister, still smoking, his two nieces and a “friend”, were busy in the kitchen, baking a Coconut Pie.

He had seen her many times before but never noticed her. But today something was different. He is still uncertain whether it was the smile, or her large black eyes, or the way she carried herself. Or maybe it was the confluence of all these things coming together in concert with destiny and the hands of fate. Whatever the reasons, the result was an almighty explosion of joy and contentment. It was indeed reminiscent of the description by Khalil Gibran of his first love, when;

“The heavens opened and his soul soared in joyous recognition of God’s pleasure”

.…. At long last, he knew he was in love!

As you would expect, the reciprocation was instantaneous, and it is said, that Cupid collapsed with exhaustion from all the arrows that flew back and forth.

The word of this happening spread far and wide, and except for those homes where maiden hopefuls had waited in silent anticipation, there was an explosion of joy and celebration.
Her parents were justifiably happy, not only because of the boy and his family, but also because they had finally got rid of the last child and can now plan their “second honeymoon”.
His mother was no less overjoyed, for the girl possessed all the attributes to guaranty her being a good mother and wife. And his father is now something to behold, as he proudly struts and frets, cigarette in hand, feathers ruffled and voice booming;
……. “Heidi has nothing on me now!”

6.

And tonight the story unfurls further as this momentous year closes. These children of destiny are beginning their journey along the true and tested path that many others have gone before. Their success or failure will depend not only on the love they feel for each other, but equally upon the depth of commitment and trust they are willing to offer upon the altar of marriage. For it is written:

“Much is expected, but for those who succeed, the rewards are indescribable.”

Also, let us not forget that they will always have the wisdom of Papa Da to guide them in times of concern, and recall his words of assurance;

“He who loves all, deserves all”.

.........The Butterfly Has Indeed Landed!

THE OLD LADY AND ANA (ROMANS 8:28-36)

Editor’s Note: This is the twelfth of series of short stories dealing with

my personal interpretation of selected verses from the Holy Bible offered

under the title “The Old Lady and Ana”.

THE OLD LADY AND ANA
12. ROMANS 8:26-38 (GOD’S LOVE)
Ana was worried all day long and just could not find an answer to her problem. Finally she sought out her favorite grandmother who was sitting at the dining room table cleaning the family silver ware. Taking a chair next to the old lady, Ana, looking intently at her, asked:
“Gramma, how does God know when we need help and how does he choose
who should be helped and should not be helped?”

The old lady put down the vase she was cleaning, turned to her grand daughter and smiling reassuringly, whispered quietly but firmly:
“No my dear Ana, God has no favorites, he loves us all in the same way and does
not choose sides. He knows our needs and does everything for us. The bible is very
clear about this, let me read to you from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans:”

The Holy Spirit helps us because we are weak.
We do not know how we should talk to God.
But the Holy Spirit himself talks to God for us,

while we cry and cannot say any words.
God looks to see what is in people's hearts.
And he knows what the Holy Spirit is going to do.
The Holy Spirit talks to God for God's people.
And he asks for them what God wants them to have.

“He is telling us that the Holy Spirit takes care of us. He knows our weaknesses and our fears and in fact, is always interceding for us. He carries our needs to God and speaks for us even when we are not able to do so. St. Paul went further, listen:”

We know that God works out everything for the good

of those who love him.
They are the people who are part of his plan.
He knew all along that he would choose them.
He chose them to be made like his Son.
Then his Son would be the first one of many brothers.
He chose them and he also called them.
He called them to himself

as if they had never been bad people.
He made them right with himself

and he also made them great in heaven.

“God is making it quite clear that he loves all those people who love him. In fact he assures us that he sees us in the same way as he sees his own son. He went further to state that Jesus is the first of many brothers and as far as he is concerned he sees us all as part of his family and worthy of heaven”.

The old lady paused for a while to allow Ana to assimilate the information and then slowly continued:

So what shall we say about this?
If God is on our side, who can be against us?
He did not keep his own Son, but gave him up for us all.
Because he has given him to us, will he not also give us all other things?
Who will say anything against God's chosen people?
For it is God himself who says they have been put right with him.
Who will say they are not right?
Jesus Christ died. Yes, he was raised from death.
He is at the right side of God. And he talks to God for us.

“ What could be stronger than this statement of the commitment of our God to us? By Jesus dying on the cross for us and subsequently raising from the dead, he has guaranteed our eternal salvation and given us security in obtaining God’s love and the right to be called his chosen people. Even after becoming one of us and suffering and dying for us, Jesus continues to seek our salvation before God. So you see the bad people of the world can try to destroy our good name but Jesus, by paying the ultimate penalty has earned us the right to be declared righteous before God and he has given us his promise that he will do so”.

Ana, beaming with joy and relief was about to exclaim her pleasure and satisfaction, but the old lady gestured to her that there was more, and continued to read from her bible:

Who can take us away from Christ's love?
We may have trouble. We may have hard times.
People may make us suffer because we believe.
We may have no food to eat and no clothes to wear.
We may be in danger. We may be killed with big knives.
Can any of these things take us away from Christ's love?
I am absolutely sure that not even death or life
can separate us from God's love.
Not even angels or demons, the present or the future,
or any powers can do that.

“What a beautiful promise we have received from our God. Nothing, not trouble nor hard times nor starvation nor death nor demons nor anything else, can separate us from the love of Christ. We are indeed truly blessed and secure in the knowledge that we are eternally loved ".

Ana jumped up from the chair hugged her grand mother as tightly as she could and exclaimed in a voice meant to be heard around the world:

“Our God is the greatest, most awesome God, and I am so glad that he loves me!”

THE OLD LADY AND ANA (PSALM 64)

Editor’s Note: This is the eleventh of a series of short stories dealing

with my personal interpretation of selected verses from

the Holy Bible offered under the title “The Old Lady and Ana”.

THE OLD LADY AND ANA
11. PSALM 64:1-10 (Dealing with the Evildoers)

Ana listened quietly at the dinner table, as her mother recounted the rumors that were being spread about her brother and his wife. Some wicked people were determined to destroy his good name by accusing of him of illegal business activities and mixing with questionable people. This was causing him to worry a great deal and he was getting very depressed.
Later that night while her grandmother was helping her get ready to go to bed, Ana asked her;

“Gramma why does God let these bad people say these things and hurt

Uncle Joe. Everybody knows he is a good man?”

The old lady, sensing an opportunity to teach her grand daughter, replied that she was not correct in thinking so, for while God does not control what evil people may do, he certainly does not abandon his faithful. Sitting at the side of the bed, she beckoned Ana to sit next to her as she opened her favorite bible to Psalm 64. “Listen to these words and see if you recognize them”. she said:

Hear me, O God, as I voice my complaint;

protect my life from the threat of the enemy.
Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,

from that noisy crowd of evildoers.
They sharpen their tongues like swords

and aim their words like deadly arrows.
They shoot from ambush at the innocent man;

they shoot at him suddenly, without fear.

Ana thought for a minute and then confidently responded;

“That sounds like the person is pleading to God to protect him from all these

bad people. They seem to be trying to destroy him with words and arrows,

just like what they are doing to Uncle Joe”.

The old lady nodded her head in agreement and by way of reinforcing the idea she added:

“Yes Ana, this is what they do when they want to destroy good people.

They don’t hesitate to plan and devise any means to trap them, malign

them and spread lies about them. Let me continue:”

They encourage each other in evil plans,

they talk about hiding their snares;

they say; "Who will see them?"
They plot injustice and say,

"We have devised a perfect plan!"

Ana, obviously perplexed and confused that God, knowing all this about evil people, allows them to continue to cause so much injustice and suffering to the good, God fearing people. Turning to her grandmother she wondered whether God might be too busy to pay attention to all these people.

The old lady reacted quickly and replied:

“Heavens no my child, God knows and cares for all his people. He is

all powerful and does not hesitate punish those who deserve to be

punished. Listen to these words:”

Surely the mind and heart of man are cunning.
But God will shoot them with arrows;

suddenly they will be struck down.
He will turn their own tongues against them

and bring them to ruin;

all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.

Visibly relieved, Ana smiled broadly, for her confidence in God was restored, and raising both arms high over her head she proclaimed “Thank you God for never forgetting your faithful”
The old lady happy to see the relief in the face of her grand daughter, smiled broadly and replied:

"Yes Ana, we must never ever forget that God will never abandon his faithful.

We should never be afraid to declare our loyalty to him and always praise

and honor him. Listen how the Psalmist spoke on behalf of all of us:”

All mankind will fear;

they will proclaim the works of God

and ponder what he has done.
Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD

and take refuge in him;

let all the upright in heart praise him!

Bouncing out of the bed with renewed joy and confidence, Ana hugged her gramma tightly, kissed her, and announced at the top of her voice, as she ran out of the bed room:

“I’m going straight to Mommy and tell her that she does not have to worry

about Uncle Joe anymore, because God will take care of the wicked people

and destroy them!”

LIFE WITH MOLLY

A short story of Faith, Fate and Coincidence
“A bizarre accident occurred on the highway early this morning

claiming the life of three people, one of whom is yet to be identified.

A large “Hummer” crossed the median at high speed and plowed

into the smaller vehicle, killing all the occupants.

The driver of the Hummer, who was returning from an

all night “stag” celebrating his wedding due to be held today,

was unharmed. His breathalyzer test was very strongly positive.”

Violet sat up when she heard those words spoken by the radio announcer who was reporting a newsflash that had just been received. Something in her told her that this was not good and for some strange reason she thought of Molly. She listened carefully, but no more information was forthcoming.

That night as she sat down to have dinner with her husband, the phone rang. It was Virginia enquiring about her mother who had not arrived home yet, and none of her friends or family knew anything. Violet, shuddering with anticipation, blurted out “Have you called the police? Have you checked with the hospital? For some strange reason, ever since hearing the announcement she could not shift the thought that Molly was involved. She was not surprised when Virginia called early next morning confirming that Molly was indeed involved in the accident and had died before any help could arrive. She also added that the only way she could have identified her mother was by the silver cross she was wearing. This was the cross that was given to Molly last Xmas with love and appreciation for her dedicated care to his wife, who suffered from Advanced Alzheimer’s, by Violet’s father.

For more than five years Molly had been the live-in caregiver who would come to the house early Monday morning and leave early Saturday morning. A gentle, caring person in her late 50’s, she was a devotedly religious person who loved people and was dedicated to her role of caring for the weak and helpless. She endeared herself so deeply to the family that she became part of the family and was loved by all, as indeed, she loved them. Violet was particularly close to her, and they shared a bond as close as sisters. They would spend many hours sharing and praying together, as they jointly took care of the needs of the old people. They were sisters in spirit.

As she recalled the events of the hours before Molly’s death, Violet became increasingly overwhelmed with a sense of awe at the power of Fate in life, and wondered whether life is truly predestined and beyond our control. The night before, after dinner was completed and the old people settled, Molly informed Violet that she planned to leave much earlier than usual as she was getting a lift with some friends. She planned to leave at 6:00am. Violet could not understand why she felt compelled to caution her but recalled saying: “Are you sure that is a good idea. Why do you want to leave that early?”

The next morning Molly got up at the crack of dawn and was ready to leave as early as 5:00am. She called Violet who would normally come over to pay her and relieve her. However Violet was unable to get over because of a flare up of her ankle sprain and asked her to wait a little longer to allow the “Advil” she took to start working. Molly called back to inform her that her friends were insisting on leaving early and as a result she was committed to leave on time. Violet recalled her last words to Molly were, “Go with God, may he take care of you on your journey home!”

Molly left home at 5:45am and walked to the corner to wait for her friends. When she got there, she realized that she had left her cross at home and quickly retuned to retrieve it. On arriving home, she encountered the old man who was in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee that Molly had prepared and left for him. After she explained why she had returned, he stood up, held her hand firmly and said with a deliberate, serious tone, “Molly please stay back for a while. In our culture it is a bad omen to begin a journey and to return before it is completed. I want you to stay!”

She chuckled and replied as she snapped the cross around her neck, “Grandpa I am protected with this cross. Nothing could happen to me!” She then quickly exited to meet her friends.

The police reported that the car was traveling south at normal speed in light traffic when the Hummer which was traveling north at very high speed suddenly swerved to the left, missed a light pole and crashed directly into the car. It was smashed beyond recognition and the occupants killed instantaneously.

The cross was found in Molly’s right hand as she apparently grasped it in her final moment.

Like Violet, we are all left to wonder the meanings of Fate and Faith. Many will be content to blame these events as merely coincidence that occur every day to every body. As my friend Lawrence will often reply in these situations, “No Big Thing!”

I prefer to think of these events as occurring beyond our control and as such beyond our human comprehension. In this context I am reminded of a statement made by a contributor on the “This I Believe” Series on National Public Radio which stated:

“We, as humans, can do nothing but live in the present.
We cannot see what is to come in the future.
We can only guess and attempt to make the right choices.”

LIVING WITH DEATH AND DYING (II) The Final Journey

“There is a dignity in dying that doctors should not dare to deny.
For death begins with Life’s first breath”

The above statement by an unknown author has always impressed me for its profound simplicity and dramatic accuracy, and deserves much more than passing notice. Like the clergyman, the physician is expected to play a pivotal role in the life of the dying patient and the family, especially during the period of “the final journey” and beyond. Unfortunately this does not often happen because doctors are very rarely trained to recognize and deal with end-of-life issues. Dr. Ira Byock in his excellently written book, Dying Well, summarized this in the following manner:

“The medical profession most commonly approaches dying as if it were solely a

problematic medical event. From the first day in medical school, doctors are taught

to approach patients by defining a set of medical problems to be solved. People come

to doctors with "problems". For each case a problem list must be developed through

which both physical and psycho-social problems can be addressed”.

Dealing with dying is much more than just a consideration of the etiology of a collection of symptoms and signs, diagnosing the problem and providing a treatment plan. This is what physicians are trained to do and are generally confident in executing. Rather, it is a very personal experience that requires a very special and individual approach tailored to meet the needs of the patient and the family. The physician is uniquely placed to facilitate and ease the pain and uncertainty of the situation. By being available to answer questions, being honest and caring and above all, being especially sensitive to the fears and the anxieties of all concerned, he will go a long way in assisting everyone to cope with this daunting and terrifying period.

In my own personal experience, after actively practicing medicine for almost half a century, no aspect has given me as much satisfaction as the successful occasions when I was able to help my patient and the family cross over in peace, faith, dignity and acceptance. Because of my Psychiatric background, I was perhaps better equipped to understand, recognize and possibly identify cues from the patient and to deal with them. But I believe I was able to achieve greater success when I learned to accommodate the strict objective, scientific training I received in medical school with a personal subjective, faith-based viewing of life and death as a continuum, controlled by the hand of the Almighty.

As I have stated previously, I believe life is a precious expression of a greater plan in which our time spent on earth is but a short segment of a journey which began in eternity and will continue to eternity. Because of this, I see the process of dying, not as the end of the journey, but merely a stage along the path, and as such I view my role as a physician as doing my best to facilitate the change. Sri Chinmoy Kumar Ghose, the great Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher who recently died, described this concept exquisitely in the following quotation:

"Death is not the end.

Death can never be the end.

Death is the road.

Life is the traveler.

The Soul is the Guide."

As I see it, the approach to dealing with death and the dying patient is essentially eclectic, encompassing a variety of approaches from many sources including the attitude and expectations of the patient and family, the immediate and long term prognosis, society’s mores and the extent of religious and social support available. The physician’s role is crucial, not only in providing honest and accurate information concerning the prognosis and treatment options, but equally important, in assessing the real needs of the individual and providing understanding and strength without resorting to denial or lying. He must be available to prepare and to guide his patient through the difficult passage, to ease the pain and above all, to offer hope and reassurance.

It is generally assumed that patients would prefer not to hear the real truth, but rather be given hope of recovery even when the situation is hopeless. This is a mistake, for by encouraging this we rob the patient and the family of the opportunity of coming to terms without lingering regrets. I prefer to choose the approach of Rev. Forrest Church who before he died in 2006 wrote:

"Many people who are dying have an opportunity—but sometimes don't have

the imagination to seize. And that is to turn my life…into a prayer, to embrace life,

to accept my past and just say 'yes' to it. Not to let the future haunt me, but to be

in the moment, aware of the miracle, which is life itself, which would not exist if

death was not one of its hinges."

Events occur during this period for which we have no real explanation, but which seem to point to other influences actively manifesting itself. Anyone who has worked in this field will attest to occurences experienced by the dying patient which had profound effects on them. These paranormal episodes, often referred to as Near death experiences, have been extensively researched by several people, including Dr. Raymond Moody, MD who has written extensively on the subject.

In my own experience dealing with terminally ill patients, I have encountered many such incidents when my patients will report encounters which have profoundly affected them. These have ranged from visitations from deceased family members, to stange phenomena like brilliant lights, or Holy people, such as Jesus or Mary. They have invariably left the patient peaceful, calmer and more accepting and have served to reassure the family. While it would be easy to ascribe these occurences to subjective or hallucinatory causes resulting from the disturbed mind, I prefer to think of them as yet another example of the involvement of a higher power.

Too often we allow feelings of anger, petty rivalry, suspicion or revenge to cloud our thinking and prevent us from sharing and expressing our true feelings at this important time. This is a real shame, for by doing this we cheat ourselves and the patient, and set in motion negative feelings which stay with us long after the event. This is wrong! Instead we should strive to correct these feelings and remove these obstacles and make every effort to come to terms with ourselves, so that as the journey ends, so would our bitterness.
In the end, if we really believe in the continuity of life, we must agree with the words of the great Irish poet and author, Arthur Joyce Cary when he wrote:

“Look at life as a gift from God.
Now he wants it back, I have no right to complain.”

LIFE WITH INSPIRATION

“When I am inspired I work doubly hard without conscientiously

forcing myself to apply. I catch myself spotting problems

and errors faster and easier than normal.

Uninspired it sometimes takes me longer to overcome a problem,

whereas inspired, the solution jumps right out at me.

It's almost magical. When inspired, time flies and productivity skyrockets”.

This statement which was made by an un-named contributor in an internet site dealing with personal experiences in the work situation, has impressed me as an excellent example of the impact of Inspiration in the context of our living.

The phenomenon of Inspiration is an exceedingly interesting and widely researched activity that clearly affects human behavior in a variety of ways. Like so many other vital phenomena in our daily lives, it is only possible to describe its existence by its effects rather than appearance. Inspiration is defined as the act or power of stimulation or arousal of the mind resulting in the influencing of special or unusual activity or creativity. It also refers to a form of divine guidance or supernatural influence on the minds of an individual causing or giving rise to unexpected or unpredictable outcomes.

The direct effect of Inspiration is the acceptance of the individual as qualified to achieve at a level far above the expected level, or to communicate truth with an authority and influence far above the average human expectation. In short, it is the difference that makes the mundane become the exquisite, the stuff that allows the artist, the poet, the author or the leader to stand out and the prophet or the preacher appear as a chosen one.

But inspiration is much more than this. As I see it, it is very much a human component present, to a smaller or larger extent, in everything we do, or think or say. To me, inspiration is the trigger which initiates any action, but is not a guarantee of successful outcome. This can only occur with the concomitant expenditure of effort. In this respect, I am reminded of the oft-quoted statement, attributed to so many authors, ancient and modern, that says:

“Success is 10% Inspiration and 90% Perspiration”

In my experience both with regard to my own self, as well as my relationship with others, I am convinced this is indeed a truism, and that in life, every form of human expression is the result of a combination of these two components. Whether the intent is to do good or evil, the impact of inspiration is equally vital. The more inspired the individual, the more good or evil he will be able to achieve.

I have no doubt that everyone will have no difficulty in identifying multiple examples of people in their own lives who have used their inspiration to produce deeds that translate to helping people or their environment, and others who have channeled their effort to personal gain or to causing further suffering.

All the most successful people in the world inevitably achieved their success by virtue of their innate ability to draw upon the unique creativity conferred on them by the power of inspiration. It is this factor that allows them to stand over their peers and achieve such enviable results. The great artists and authors and thinkers and inventors and leaders have all been able to produce their work as a result of the drive initiated by their inspiration, which provided them with the foundation they needed. In the same way others have been able to use this ability to carry out the greatest injustices to humanity. Dictators like Stalin, Hitler, Castro, and the thousands of others who have appeared over the preceding centuries; Confidence tricksters like Ponzi, Madoff, and the multitude of lesser practitioners who have succeeded to cheating from millions of unsuspecting people, and Crooks and Mobsters, as individuals or part of an organization, who have dominated the society with fear and death have all done so as a result of their extraordinary ability to draw upon their innate inspiration and creativity.

There is also evidence that this ability is passed on from generation to generation, so that it is not unusual to see the same pattern of behavior repeating within families. This is not surprising since it is common to find that members of the same family often exhibit similar behavioral and mental attitudes.

In the end however, irrespective of our own personal attitudes or abilities, our lives are directly or indirectly, controlled by the impact of other people’s inspirations. They can be drawn from any corner of the world or from any person, or object or any emotion, and how we respond will depend to a large extent upon our personal beliefs and attitude. Most of us generally adopt an attitude of acceptance and are content to assign the outcome as a product of divine intervention. As the famous 16th century French apothecary, author and astronomer, Michel de Nostradame (Nostradamus) explained:

"Perfect knowledge cannot be acquired
without divine inspiration;
Given that all prophetic inspiration
derives its initial origin from God Almighty".


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But there is a spirit in man:
And the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding.
……Job 32:8


Action always generates inspiration.
Inspiration seldom generates action.
……Frank Tibolt

If you’re going to be an artist,
Real life is your inspiration.
……. Madonna

What that man creates by means of reason will pale,
Before the art of inspired beings.
……Pheadrus.

The greatest inspiration is often born of desperation.
……Comer Cotrell

In life you need either inspiration or desperation.
…..Anthony Robbins

No one was ever great without some portion of divine inspiration.
….Marcus Tullius Cicero

Inspiration comes from the Heart of Heaven to give the lift of wings,
and the breath of divine music to those of us who are earthbound.
….. Margaret Sangster

Method is much, technique is much, but inspiration is even more.

…..Benjamin Cardozo

Quotes are nothing but inspiration for the uninspired.
…….Richard Kemph

Find your inspiration and hone in on it.
……Susan Longacre

inspiration never arrived when you were searching for it.
…….Lisa Alther

Keep your fears to yourself,
but share your inspiration with others.
…..Robert Louis Stevenson

Inspiration is a guest who does not like to visit lazy people.
……Tchaikowsky

Inspiration follows aspiration.
…..Rabindranath Tagore

It is, after all, the dab of grit that seeps into an oyster's shell
that makes the pearl,
not pearl-making seminars with other oysters.
….. Stephen King

Inspiration kicks open the doors of the mind and says;
"I'm here!"
……Edwin Rutsch

THE ROOM

Editor's note:
This short story was sent to me by my sister. It has so impressed me by its
profound simplicity and power that I felt it worthy of wider circulation. I
trust that you too will be as moved as I was, and that you will also pass it
on to others who you care about.


17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a class.
The subject was : What Heaven Was Like.
"I wowed 'em," he later told his father, Bruce.

Here is Brian's essay entitled:
"THE ROOM"
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings.

As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have Betrayed." The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed At." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents."

I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature. When I pulled out the file marked "TV Shows I Have Watched," I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost animal rage broke on me.

One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them! In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it. Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room.. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes.

Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room.. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me. Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files.. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card. "No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, and so alive.

The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished." I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
........John 3:16

Brian Moore died May 27, 1997, the day after Memorial Day. He was driving home

from a friend's house when his car went off the road and struck a utility pole. He

emerged from the wreck unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was

electrocuted.

If you feel the same way forward it to as many people as you can so the love of Jesus

will touch their lives also.

...........My "People I Shared the Gospel With" file just got bigger,

How about yours?