Your Pain Can Help Others

The Daily OM does it again:

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December 28, 2015 Using Your Pain to Help Others Healing with Hurtby Madisyn Taylor You can channel your pain into helping others and spreading a tide of curative energy throughout the world. Pain is a fact of being and one that permeates all of our lives to some degree. Since the hurt we feel may be a part of the experiences that have touched us most deeply, we are often loathe to let it go. It is frequently easier to keep our pain at our sides, where it acts as a shield that shelters us from others and gives us an identity—that of victim—from which we can draw bitter strength. However, pain’s universality can also empower us to use our hurt to help others heal. Since no pain is any greater or more profound than any other, what you feel can give you the ability to help bring about the recovery of individuals whose hurts are both similar to and vastly different from your own. You can channel your pain into transformative and healing love that aids you in helping individuals on a one-to-one basis and spreading a tide of curative energy throughout the world.  The capacity to heal others evolves naturally within those who are ready to disassociate themselves from their identity as victims. In fact, the simple decision to put aside the pain we have carried is what grants us the strength to redeem that pain through service. There are many ways to use the hurt you feel to help others. Your pain gives you a unique insight into the minds of people who have experienced trauma and heartache. You can draw from the wellspring of strength that allowed you to emerge on the other side of a painful experience and pass that strength to individuals still suffering from their wounds. You may be able to council individuals in need by showing them the coping methods that have helped you survive or simply by offering sympathy. A kinship can develop that allows you to relate more closely with those you are trying to aid and comfort.  Helping others can be a restorative experience that makes your own heart grow stronger. In channeling your pain into compassionate service and watching others successfully recover, you may feel a sense of euphoria that leads to increased feelings of self-worth and optimism. Your courageous decision to reach out to others can be the best way to declare to yourself and the world that your pain didn’t defeat you, and in fact it helped you heal.

A Christmas Gift

ADDENDUM:

Dr. Greenberg was able to celebrate Christmas surrounded by his students, Christmas Carols, and a letter from Santa. He passed away at 3pm today, December 26. He died peacefully in his apartment surrounded by his loved ones. One of his favorite quotes was: "The person who gives life to knowledge is not dead." 

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Brook, the woman who was the Illinois Cremation Society Funeral Director for Gregory, sent me a last minute text wondering if I was free on Christmas Eve to deliver some cheer to a client of her friend who is a hospice worker.

She knew that I appeared as Santa periodically and the client who was dying had a request, even though he was Jewish, for Christmas caroling and a visit from Santa.

The client, Philip Greenberg, is a physics teacher who apparently has no family so his students are keeping vigil and helping him through his passage. A Jewish professor, requesting Christian carols, a visit from Santa, and being helped by his Muslim students.

Unfortunately I was not available to drive the two hours there and two hours back across Chicago to where Dr. Greenberg lives so I came up with this creative way of helping to fill his wishes. I wrote the following letter and Facebooked it to one of the students who in turn printed it out and read it to Philip

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Dear Dr. Greenberg (or may Santa call an old friend Philip?)

I have been very busy as you must imagine getting ready for tonights delivery of presents to all the good little boys and girls around the world!

I have been checking my list and then checking it twice and your name pops up for all the wonderful time and energy you give your Physics students and others who love you so.

Unfortunately I checked the list a little too late this season so I have not been able to get you a gift but I wanted to send this note, and my photograph and to wish you a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Chanukah, and a Joyful Christukah and Hanukahmas!

Santa always appreciates it when his old friends still remember and believe in him!

Fondly,

Santa Claus

Surprises

Received this from the social worker on the Memory Care Unit at Lieberman where Gregory lived for 18 months. When he died, we left most of the items in his room behind for others to enjoy. The plants were shared. The furniture was either given to other needing residents or sold to employees at a greatly discounted price, the money of which went to Lieberman. Some of his "stuff" went to the Life Enrichment Department and the Art Room.

Do you recognize this cactus?  When I put it in my office in October I had no idea there was such a beautiful surprise in store!  I look forward each day to coming into work to see if any more flowers have bloomed.  It is a wonderful reminder of two special people. H