Comments on: BADD: Those long, dark nights http://the-exponent.com/2008/05/09/badd-those-long-dark-nights/ Am I not a woman and a sister? Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:31:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Zenaida http://the-exponent.com/2008/05/09/badd-those-long-dark-nights/#comment-7321 Zenaida Sat, 10 May 2008 11:11:56 +0000 http://theexponent.wordpress.com/?p=668#comment-7321 Reading this brings back memories of my own time spent in a hospital, and being so helpless. It really is terrifying. It is one of the most vulnerable feelings to have your health placed in someone else's hands, and not being able to do anything or even have full disclosure is difficult to bear. It seems strange that in the times of greatest fear and suffering, it is the simplest acts of kindness that mean the most, and the human connection is most important. Reading this brings back memories of my own time spent in a hospital, and being so helpless. It really is terrifying. It is one of the most vulnerable feelings to have your health placed in someone else’s hands, and not being able to do anything or even have full disclosure is difficult to bear. It seems strange that in the times of greatest fear and suffering, it is the simplest acts of kindness that mean the most, and the human connection is most important.

]]> By: Deborah http://the-exponent.com/2008/05/09/badd-those-long-dark-nights/#comment-7319 Deborah Sat, 10 May 2008 03:23:46 +0000 http://theexponent.wordpress.com/?p=668#comment-7319 I loved this post on your blog -- and was going to mark it as my favorite of the week on the Oases this weekend. So so glad you reposted here. It's the perfect metaphor -- and what's better, it *wasn't* a metaphor that afternoon -- that sometimes all we can offer is a helpless, yummy cookie in the face of others' pain. I loved this post on your blog — and was going to mark it as my favorite of the week on the Oases this weekend. So so glad you reposted here. It’s the perfect metaphor — and what’s better, it *wasn’t* a metaphor that afternoon — that sometimes all we can offer is a helpless, yummy cookie in the face of others’ pain.

]]> By: peach http://the-exponent.com/2008/05/09/badd-those-long-dark-nights/#comment-7318 peach Sat, 10 May 2008 02:44:32 +0000 http://theexponent.wordpress.com/?p=668#comment-7318 Once while in the hospital I had the neighbor with the curtain between. My best friend was visiting me. We had lunch and my friend blessed the food out loud.(not my style) Then comes the voice of my neightbor to my friend, "can you please come over here and pray for me?" It was beautiful, my friend without hesitation put her hands on top of my neighbors hands and prayed for her. What an example to me of letting go of fear and embrasing charity. Once while in the hospital I had the neighbor with the curtain between.
My best friend was visiting me.
We had lunch and my friend blessed the food out loud.(not my style)
Then comes the voice of my neightbor to my friend,
“can you please come over here and pray for me?”
It was beautiful, my friend without hesitation put her hands on top of my neighbors hands and prayed for her.
What an example to me of letting go of fear and embrasing charity.

]]> By: D'Arcy http://the-exponent.com/2008/05/09/badd-those-long-dark-nights/#comment-7315 D'Arcy Fri, 09 May 2008 20:32:52 +0000 http://theexponent.wordpress.com/?p=668#comment-7315 Thank you for this beautiful story. As buddhism teaches, we are all little points of light that connect with each other across the universe, thus, each connection can be something wonderful if we let it be. I hope and pray you heal quickly. Thank you for this beautiful story. As buddhism teaches, we are all little points of light that connect with each other across the universe, thus, each connection can be something wonderful if we let it be. I hope and pray you heal quickly.

]]> By: JohnR http://the-exponent.com/2008/05/09/badd-those-long-dark-nights/#comment-7314 JohnR Fri, 09 May 2008 20:31:09 +0000 http://theexponent.wordpress.com/?p=668#comment-7314 I often sink into a sort of conversational paralysis when I encounter someone who is different from me (this includes difference in politics, class, race, gender approach, religion, stage of life, etc.) I become so frightened of offending, and this is based on those embarrassing experiences in which I really did offend. So I find this encouraging: <i>Sometimes we can’t tell whether a remark we make might be offensive (as that of my aide was for me right then), sometimes we wonder if our kindnesses will be rebuffed...But somehow, one way or another, we just keep trying, keep doing, keep learning, keep connected.</i> When I reflect on my experiences of trying to cross divides and taking that risk of offending, I find that the positive connections outnumber the negative ones, even if the latter tend to be more memorable. I often sink into a sort of conversational paralysis when I encounter someone who is different from me (this includes difference in politics, class, race, gender approach, religion, stage of life, etc.) I become so frightened of offending, and this is based on those embarrassing experiences in which I really did offend. So I find this encouraging:

Sometimes we can’t tell whether a remark we make might be offensive (as that of my aide was for me right then), sometimes we wonder if our kindnesses will be rebuffed…But somehow, one way or another, we just keep trying, keep doing, keep learning, keep connected.

When I reflect on my experiences of trying to cross divides and taking that risk of offending, I find that the positive connections outnumber the negative ones, even if the latter tend to be more memorable.

]]> By: Jessawhy http://the-exponent.com/2008/05/09/badd-those-long-dark-nights/#comment-7312 Jessawhy Fri, 09 May 2008 19:42:37 +0000 http://theexponent.wordpress.com/?p=668#comment-7312 Jana, I am so sorry to hear of your infection! I've had bouts of MRSA for over 2 years (none serious enough for hospitalization, though) It's really horrible, and very, very painful. How scary that it was in your right leg, too. I just loved your post, it is so moving. Your story about the woman with cancer just makes me remember how small my own problems are compared to others, and how rapidly our family's good health can change. My thoughts and prayers go out to you as you recover. Jana,
I am so sorry to hear of your infection! I’ve had bouts of MRSA for over 2 years (none serious enough for hospitalization, though) It’s really horrible, and very, very painful. How scary that it was in your right leg, too.
I just loved your post, it is so moving.
Your story about the woman with cancer just makes me remember how small my own problems are compared to others, and how rapidly our family’s good health can change.
My thoughts and prayers go out to you as you recover.

]]>