To Dis-able

To Dis-able

According to Susan Howitch “A cure signified the banishment of physical illness, but a healing could mean not just a physical cure, but a repairing and strengthening of the mind and spirit to improve the quality of life even when no physical cure was possible.”

If we focus exclusively on being cured – on the disappearance of illness – then we may miss the healing God has brought or is bringing to our loved ones or us.

I have a close friend who has a degenerative muscle disorder in her legs. For the sake of this article, I’ll refer to her as Sage.  When I first met Sage, several years ago, she had unusual but minor leg weakness. She only needed to use a walking stick in the winter to cope with the chronic weakness in her legs.

At that point, she was looking for a cure. Actually, she started out first just looking for a diagnosis so that she could be on her way toward a cure. 

She endured test after painful test. She saw specialist after specialist. None of these could tell her why she had deteriorating leg weakness. They were only able to rule out muscular dystrophy and muscular sclerosis among other illnesses and syndromes. 

They could only tell her what she did not have. Her leg muscles continued to atrophy. Now, she is wheelchair-bound.

I also know another woman whom I will refer to as Kendall. Kendall was also diagnosed with a debilitating illness for which there is no cure. 

Kendall is now almost 40 years old and lives with her mom. Kendall has allowed her illness to dis-able her. She is listless and wonders about the meaning of her life.

 I bring up Kendall not to be judgmental but rather to highlight how her attitude toward her disability has dis-abled her.

In contrast, Sage has not let her disability dis-able her. She persevered through the disability. 

First, she graduated from college then she obtained a master’s degree in counseling. Upon becoming a licensed counselor, she opened her own counseling practice.

 After several years in private practice she also now teaches counseling at a university. In the midst of this, she also fell in love and was married. 

Sage has not experienced a cure, but she continually experiences healing both personally and professionally. 

Her two professions also allow her to help individuals and families experience healing and teach future counselors how to participate in the healing process.”

So what is the difference between these two people?

I would suggest one word – “Faith”

With Love & Light,

Roger

“No one can dim the light that shines within”