What were the results?
Even with such a dismal prognosis, amazingly, Ben recovered.
Of course, all the functional systems in the human body do better when the Survival Brain is not trying hard to save us – and pumping us with adrenaline and cortisol etc… Ben’s mind-body-spirit resonated with his parents un-stressed loving presence… and with the more relaxed presences of the nurses, CNAs, and doctors… It was easier for everyone to think clearly, do what needed to be done, and be naturally warm and present…
However things might have turned out medically, dwelling in the flow of love/life was going to help.
But even if there were long term physical and neurological effects…
The normal way to think about that is by contrasting how measured baselines of performance from the past differ from current baselines... And we would feel it to be “a pity”, “a shame”, “too bad”, “unfortunate” that this “lower functioning” was this person’s new normal. The baselines might be accurately compared, but all the normal thoughts and feelings that go along with that verdict – they are quite arbitrary, even unhelpful and, in this case, dramatically out of step with what life is really offering.
Instead…
What I was left with from this story was how everyone was drawn into an on-going experience of warmth and presence, drawn into a sustained life-giving path of love. It affected their presence, their thinking, how they did their jobs, how they communicated with patients, etc. It allowed strangers in a waiting room to enter into the same healing love in fellowship together.
It was a quiet love that can move through any and every situation… A love we only really dance with in the now. A love that nudges us to the next “good enough” life-giving step to take – regarding whatever is ours to deal with now.
From that viewpoint… If Love/God/Spirit/Flow is with us as we face a life-changing event... with us as we do what we can to stabilize and recover... and with us now... the "result" is life being received as a gift.
The 23rd Psalm in different words, yes?
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