Help is on the Way - Joan

 They say there are no atheists in foxholes. At the time of great danger, fear, or pain, one hopes there is Something of Someone greater that has your back. It's a comforting  thought when you are at the end of your rope. It is certainly a feeling I've experienced as I've faced some of the medical challenges in my life. But how to stay constant to that feeling has always been my struggle. It is not a question of doubt in a Greater Being, but more a question like the sainted Mother Teresa posed of discerning God's voice in our own life.

          These lofty questions become grounded when life hands us a wake-up call. For me, this month it was a serious bike accident. Emergency back surgery in a new city, uncertainty about the outcome and my motherly  desire to dance at our daughter's wedding this May put me right back in that foxhole.

          I knew what I had to do. In addition to listening to the doctors through my pain and drug-induced fog, signing authorizations and consents, I knew I needed to call on my prayer warriors for assistance. As a mere mortal, even with the best husband in the world by my side, I couldn't get through this with only earthy efforts. I needed help. And hard as it is for me to ask for assistance, once requested, help came in droves.

          I know heaven was barraged with prayers, the surgery went well, I can walk, and the light at the end of this tunnel is not a train! The flowers, cards and letters (and chocolates) I have received have revived my spirit helping me to accept this new reality and make plans for my next steps, literally. The Daily Good email arrived with words of inspiration about acceptance and the fact that it "doesn't inherently imply inaction, stagnation passivity, or cowardice...acceptance can open us up to a sense of possibility..." I experienced this when instead of bemoaning my latest calamity, the occupational therapist shared a remarkable miracle story. Soothing my spirit was more important than learning to put on my socks.

          For some of us, it is important to be reminded of the power of prayer, the knowledge that we are not alone in the foxhole of life. Prayers from my family and friends and their prayer groups keep me from feeling isolated and shower me with their protection and goodwill. Not only is it a way of feeling a closer connection with the Divine, but it is a way of being the miracle for each other by a kind word, a smile, a card, a remembrance, and a prayer.

          Yes, I have had my wake up call. Please don't let it take an accident for you to have yours. It shouldn't take a Super Bowl or a Super Tuesday for us to realize our connection with each other and with the Divine. It happens every day: with the hopes we harbor in our hearts, in the joy we can bring to others, and in our ability to accept our limitations with grace, putting one foot ahead of the other and moving forward, together.