By David Coy
Sunrise
At any given moment there is a multitude of people who are ill. Some illnesses are temporary. Others may be more permanent. Norman Cousins wrote of his struggle with a debilitating illness in Anatomy Of An Illness. Batsell Barrett Baxter waged a continual battle with cancer. Illness, like grief, touches all of our lives. In the case of Mr. Cousins’ circumstances, he saw himself as a partner with his physicians. Thus, he determined that he would allow the body’s own resources to restore health. Mr. Cousins also researched illness and the tie to our mental and spiritual condition. One person said that what helps is knowing that the people around them care and love them for who they were and are. This after they were diagnosed with ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
How should we cope with life’s uncertainty mixed with possible illness that may enter our life? Live life not in fear, but live with an earnest expectation (hope) that there is a bright future waiting for us (2 Timothy 1:7; Rom. 8:24-25). Take where you are now and make the very best recipe for living here and now yet for the future. Do not give up, yet realize none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. That is why it is important to embrace the here and now life to the fullest regardless of the circumstances. A positive mental attitude will go a long way to making any difficulty or challenge manageable. As always if you need the company of others as a part of your support system, please remember we have grief support groups that meet once a month for one hour at five different locations at 6 p.m. to strengthen, comfort and remind you that you are not alone in your journey with grief. Come and bring a friend.
