“No one is immune from dealing with illness, loss, and trauma…The demons in our lives are wrestling partners. Such a partner has the potential of ultimately strengthening us. Historically, it is interesting to note that not all demons were considered evil. In ancient Greece, the demon was called a “daemon,” and it was believed that each person had his/her own spirit guide or guardian to assist in the life journey. The deamon was a benevolent instructor. Only if pure of heart, the individual could open himself/herself to the daemon’s wisdom.”—Writing Away the Demons by Sherry Reiter, PhD.
I’ve just read a post on facebook that two young men went through the ice last night and only one has survived. No names have been given, but I worry. My son is 19 and though he is safe, those boys may be his friends. My son will attend a memorial service later next week for a 14-year old girl he knows from years at Chinese Camp. The daughter of the camp’s dean, she was killed in a car crash. Sam looked through pictures he’d taken over the eight years he attended that camp and was astonished by how many photos of her he had taken.
Headline news this morning covered a 100-car pile-up just west of Fargo. My dad was driving home from Montana yesterday, but got a later start than he’d planned. If he’d been on time, he could easily have been involved in that catastrophe. Instead, he is holed up with my brother-in-law in Bismarck, safe and warm.
Here in Minnesota, we are between storms. The first ended in the night, the second due to start anytime now. We have firewood in case the furnace goes out. The pantry is overflowing, the fridge spilling with holiday leftovers. I even filled the bathtub with water just in case the ice and snow prove too much for the power lines to hold, we’ll still be able to flush our toilet. I’m here with books and pets, assuming my family is safe elsewhere. For the moment I am able to draw the cloak of stillness around me, to protect myself for now from any tragedy that might connect me in sisterhood with the mothers who are just beginning to grieve for a lost son, a lost daughter.
Our world is a beautiful joyful place; truly I believe that. All around us is evidence of pain, grieving, illness. For some, these hardships are too difficult to bear and for others, they become inspiration.
I read a description this morning about the life of the salmon, ending with a vivid picture of the worn out fish struggling to stay upright against the current, finally being taken tail first down stream, back to the ocean. Salmon is honored and celebrated for this lifecycle that ends completely used up, not an ounce of energy left to struggle any longer against the pull of the water. This is seen as a good life.
Learning to accept, endure and prevail amidst all that befalls us, whether it be brought by demon or daemon is what we are here to do; our soul purpose. As 2010 concludes and a year of possibility unfolds its colorful wings before us, I pray for myself and for you all the wisdom and the perspective to see beauty and inspiration in every breath, to live out loud with an open heart willing to use up every drop of life.
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