Apologies for the interruption to the Justice and Mercy series. I’d made it part way through the third installment when I got sidetracked by the last three posts. We’ve enjoyed the blessings of Carol, Jack and Mary staying with us and celebrating Easter at the Steussy house, after a terrific service at church. I had some quiet time set aside today and had intended to get back to writing but couldn’t resist diving into the book Val Steussy lent me last night. She had no way of knowing that it had been on my list. I’d run across mention of it several weeks ago as it received some play in the national press and it piqued my interest. I have to say that I rarely get my interest piqued by the national press. (OK, that was probably an uncalled for remark but I’ll let it stand.)
Anyway, the book is by the now-deceased Stanford neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi, and is entitled When Breath Becomes Air. It chronicles his development as one the most thoughtful of physicians and scientists and his battle with a terrible cancer that took him far too young. It resonated to me on many levels. His extensive search for meaning. His attempt to understand the nature of mortality, even long before the disease developed. His focus on relationships as a primary life force. His bravery, faith and honesty. His portrayal of what it means to face the possibility of imminent death. I’d say there is plenty there for everyone to take away something important. OK, Val said I’d probably read it in one day and I did. It’s only a couple of hundred pages long. Stock up on Kleenex.
I’ll say this. I know I’ve written about joy and wonder and beauty. Thank God for them. But, it just seems right now that so many people we know are suffering. I definitely have a problem with patience at times. And one of those problems is when people go blithely about life and are ill tuned to the plight of others. As in, things are particularly good for me so life is good! Now, I don’t mean to be a downer or to diminish our ability to celebrate goodness around us. On the contrary, I’m a big fan of celebrating. Of feasting upon blessings and bounty. But not to the point that we erect barriers to the deep struggles of others.
In fact, just as Dr. Kalanithi explores the world of meaningful relationships, we need to cultivate habits of truly sharing lives together. And, this means we can’t escape the fragility of life even though we get marvelous respites be they short or long. Living transparently and inviting others into our interior selves is liberating and positively transformational. I’m sometimes called to testify what is different about my life from a dozen years ago. And, I’d say freedom. True freedom. The freedom that comes from moving out of protective and defensive postures into a lightness that only results from transparency. And, transparency means we recognize that all is not good, just as all is not bad. Unfortunately, I know people who choose defending edifices with the result of comparative isolation. If only they could have seen some of the folks last Wednesday evening and Friday morning, bless their hearts. They would have seen many who choose surrender and, as difficult as that is, they would say there is no alternative and we are all the better for it.
Lord, thank you for the life and witness of Dr. Paul Kalanithi. Please continue to comfort his dear wife, young daughter and extended family. Thank you for your voice that pulls us towards meaning and away from the randomness so popular in our times. Help those of us who are struggling with disease, grief, lost sense of purpose or the daily anxieties that threaten to overwhelm. Also help others of us who have the strength and full hearts to come alongside and support those in need. Help us to admit frailty and to seek help. And, help us to listen carefully and connect with others in ways that have permanency. Finally, we pray that, should we find ourselves in mortal predicament, we can identify that which is ultimately true. Amen.
bradlichtman 