The Wounded Healer

I was reading a book tonight called "Wounded by School" and discovered a lovely quote about being wounded. Kind of reminds me of my mother many others and myself I know who struggle each day with things that make them "wounded". Thought I share this one:

"Nobody escapes being wounded. We all are wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually. The main question is not "How can we hide our wounds?" so we don't have to be embarrassed but "How can we put our woundedness in the service of others?" When our wounds cease to be a source of shame, and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers.

Our own experience with loneliness, depression, and fear can become a gift for others, especially when we have received good care. As long as our wounds are open and bleeding, we scare others away. But after someone has carefully tended to our wounds, they no longer frighten us or others.

When we experience the healing presence of another person, we can discover our own gifts of healing. Then our wounds allow us to enter into a deep solidarity with our wounded brothers and sisters."

-Henry Nouwen, The Wounded Healer, 1979

Really powerful stuff! I have learned to not really like holidays, because many were spent talking with a love one in hospital room or mental hospital. The healing from this wound has helped me really focus on what holidays are truly about and not be so focused on the commercial and traditional aspects of it. Holidays for me now are a time to reflect upon a year spent with great people, remembering the lost love ones, and taking time to be thankful for having the life I have. This passage also tells me that wounds are TEMPORARY and only lead to better things if we let them.

My mother was a true "Wounded Healer" and my father is one now. Both of their wounds are unique yet provide a story of inspiration. They teach us how strong the human spirit is even when darkness surrounds it. I am thankful this holiday season that although my father has an illness that can and will mostly likely become troublesome, he is handling it with a "smile" and a heart filled.

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