John Cali
Last week’s newsletter, you may recall, was about pain. In response to that newsletter, I received a wonderful email from a dear friend. She’s given me permission to use her letter, including her contact information, for anyone who wishes to follow up with her.
No further introduction is needed, as her letter eloquently speaks for itself. Here it is:
Dear John,
“Pain” is a familiar subject to me — has been for the past several years. Mine became so severe that my life was no longer worth living, and so I tried to “end it all” on January 22nd. I failed in the attempt, merely put myself into a 4-day coma, so have settled back to figure out what Life is trying to teach me. For one thing, I am writing steadily about the experience of the pain and the climax, and life after failing to achieve my “goal” of suicide.
I am glad to be able to offer a “happy ending.” Here’s a letter I sent my family and friends yesterday:
Spectacular news, about me! My specialists have finally found the right combination of medications to free me, finally and absolutely, from the pain that has wrecked my peace and sanity for the past year. At least I am trusting this is “finally and completely.” I was afraid to “announce” this to anyone, fearing that old-fashioned superstition that “bragging” might make the new health just “go away.”
But this morning I dare take you into my confidence and give this report, with strong heart and confidence that this is a new day, and that miraculous healing can still come to an 86-year-old body.
(And I am making this “report” before even taking any of my meds today — miles forward from those nights when excruciating pain in my hip would waken me repeatedly, and those mornings when I dreaded putting my weight onto either foot, arising from the bed!)
The strange thing is that I’ve become so accustomed to curling my torso forward in anticipation of the pain of each step, I am having to learn to stand tall again, when I walk. This will take some rigid re-training, I find. It’s strange how pain can alter one’s whole life, stature and vision! I have always remembered my favorite Aunt Emelie, whose pain bent her forward at about 75 degrees, as she eldered. That memory has kept me from ever going quite that far forward, but I was steadily heading in that direction!
If this feeling of “newness” is due in part to the marvelous anti-depressant Dr. Berger has prescribed, then Praise God! for the miracle of medication! Too long have I fought having to take “pharmaceuticals.” I now humbly accept that there is a place for them in our body chemistry.
With fond best wishes,
Louise G. Smith
Friday Harbor, WA USA
louisegs@centurytel.net
And now a few words from Spirit.
Spirit
Friends, healing can come to you in many forms, and in many ways. Certainly, as with our friend Louise, it can come through traditional medical channels.
We realize many of you on the path of spiritual awareness are, like Louise, often reluctant to rely on medical doctors, other medical practitioners, and drugs.
We think that’s a good thing, for much of traditional medicine focuses on masking the symptoms of dis-ease and pain, and not on dealing with the root causes.
But we are absolutely delighted today to observe so many of your traditional medical practitioners becoming more open to alternative therapies, more natural healing methods your bodies respond to more easily.
However, since your society is rooted in the belief that science knows all, it is not necessarily a bad thing for you to use for your healing what medical science has to offer. As Louise has.
As she states so powerfully in her letter, the medication has brought her huge relief from pain so horrible she no longer wanted to go on living.
This may sound like a radical statement to some of you — but anything that brings relief from that kind of horrible pain is a good thing. It may not be, probably is not, the ultimate answer. But any light is better than the darkness.
It is an interim step, if you will. It helps you get beyond the unbearable pain — whether the pain be in your bodies, your minds, your hearts, your souls.
Then, from that place of freedom from pain, you can more clearly see your way to a full healing, and the means it will take you to get there.
Remember, friends, all healing — no exceptions — is always self-healing. Your most powerful — and only — real healer is within.
If drugs, doctors, the surgeon’s knife, the psychotherapy can stir that healer within, then — as Louise said — Praise God! Be grateful you have all these resources.
But always remember the real key to your total healing is within you
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