...or perhaps a friend or family member who is actually worse off or closer to death or disability than you.
In just over the last several days, I learned of medical conditions of a very close friend from my teen years and a teenager on my wife's side of family, both horrendous.
The teen has a genetic condition whereby he gets tumors in his spine near the brain, with the potential for paralysis and worse. His most recent scans showed multiple tumors and he is headed to surgery next week, with some risk of post-op paralysis. Here I had to choke back the tears when I heard, this kid is not yet 16 and has his whole life's potential jeopardized with this condition....and I in my self-centered fears have had a pretty good life to 63, and there is no comparing the horrors.
And my best friend when growing up from mid-teen until I moved to New Jersey in late high school. We lived 3 doors apart, had birthdays the same week, loved sports, went to many a Washington Senators and Redskins game, played Little League together, had Wash Post paper routes at the same time, and so forth. Had reconnected the last few years thanks to our common sports interest and the Internet. He was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer stage 4 and has only a bit of time left, with hospice involved....
Again, when such suffering of others comes into my sphere of conciousness, I feel so helpless and get angry at my self-centered fears about my own condition...Need to remember that there is soooo much suffering on this planet, and that my Quaker/Buddhist compassion should be there for others more than myself....
That said, prayers for all of us are heartily welcomed.....
No comments:
Post a Comment