Tuesday, July 10, 2012

a ho-hum day?

There’s something in me that wants every day to be fun and exciting –not work and laundry and dishes and errands and lawn mowing, but I just read a story that is changing how I view my day. 

I read a short biography about a young woman named Hilary who was discovered to have the disease myasthenia at age 21.  Muscle weakness slowly overcame her entire body until she was on a respirator and feeding tube.  “She could not see, speak, breathe, swallow or move except for a sixteenth of an inch of mobility in one toe and a much lesser movement in another.”  A special machine called a POSM was rigged that allowed her to type with this one muscle.   

With this one means of communication she lived a vibrant, creative life for years.  She wrote a book, had an incredible sense of humor (Hilary means “hilarious”) and even received an award from the Queen of England for the difference she made in the world.

This is a poem she wrote called “My Answer”: 

“I’m often asked if I am bored,
Frustrated, lonely,
My life abhorred.
And so I answer,
‘I am not’-
That now I can accept my lot,
Remind the sadly shaking head,
‘It is my body, not my mind, in bed.’ 

“I’m rarely frightened or in pain,
For this I thank my God again.
I have many loyal friends,
My joy in them despair transcends.
There’s music, too,
Books to read.
Discontentment cannot breed. 

“Although I can no longer play
I can listen every day
To football, rugby, tennis, cricket,
Imagination has no limit.
Add to this
A sense of humour
Killing that ‘depression’ rumour. 

“Now I have my Possum, too,
A miracle in all men’s view.
No longer do I have to wait,
My poems and letters to dictate.
Just flick my toe
And type myself.
I have no time to brood on health.”

Sometimes I hope a full life is something that will just happen to me when I wake up every day, but after reading Hilary’s story I wonder if a full life is something I work with Jesus every day to create –through thankfulness, a sense of humor, a choice to live for him as much as I can with what I’ve got. 

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10 NIV)

Are you “brooding” on something today instead of choosing to live a creative, full life?


(Excerpts taken from Twelve Who Cared by Dorothy Clarke Wilson)

3 comments:

  1. I tend to have a lot of brooding days instead of creative full days. I needed this reminder today to live fully the life Jesus gave me; another great timely reminder, thank you.

    may the day be a full one!

    betty

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  2. It feels very much like you speaking directly to me a lot of days Kristy!

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    1. I'm so glad. That certainly is a miracle of God -that He knows just exactly what you need. Thanks for joining me here!

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