Tearing

Brian Smith deals with pain left by the loss of a friend. He looks at how closely the loss of a person to a community resembles wounds to the body. Brian notices how the slow signs of healing on a community level indicate that the community itself is alive and has a structural integrity. -Editor

About seven weeks ago I fell while I was running in the forest. I broke open the skin on my knee in a long gash. The cut was impressively deep and spilling a good amount of blood. It was the type which a doctor would immediately decide needed stitches. I chose not to go through the hassle of a doctor partly because I like cool scars and also because I was confident that my body could heal on its own, even if it took a little longer. I like watching cuts heal.

Healing is the opposite of decay. Dead things decay. Alive things heal. Watching a thing repair itself is an inspiring reminder of the mystery of life. Why does the 155 pounds of material that I call my body hold together as a unit and repair itself rather than decay?

With the recent passing of my friend I have watched a fresh, deep cut in my community spill blood.

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Epiphany: A Lived Wisdom

Angela Heldon tells an optimistic tale of hope and healing. While recounting her experiences battling Ulcerative Colitis, Angela shares her reflections and inspiration about the Lord's guidance and purpose in leading her through this challenging journey toward physical health. Originally published in 2008. -Editor

I had an epiphany. All the links seemed to come together all at once as I was on my run this morning. The condition I have, called Ulcerative Colitis (chronic inflammation of the large intestine), deemed incurable by the medical profession, has been with me for over six and a half years. It’s been a long yet wonderful journey which still has many chapters I'm sure, yet now the reasons for this healing process make a lot of sense to me.

I believe the sensations in our body are one way the Lord uses to communicate with us; this has played a huge part in my condition.

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