This week, I spent a morning watching the ABC programs online about Jaycee Dugard’s interview with Diane Sawyer. While I could not watch the whole thing- silly international program issues- I was able to watch various 10 minute sections.
While watching, I was horrified and pained by the story of this young woman who survived 18 years of captivity including abuse and childbirth at a young age. My mind is boggled by her personal story… an experience that I can only imagine. As I thought about her story, my mind was brought to others. Elizabeth Smart- a child who was kidnapped when I was almost the same age as she. I remember praying for her everyday for months- miraculously she was found months later. These women are not alone. How many others have been taken or abused. Each one suffering a pain that none other can fathom.
I think of how each person’s pain is unique and original. No matter how similar one person’s story is to another’s none can ever completely understand their pain, grief, or loss. Just as each one of us is unique- so will our reactions and experiences be. While compassion comes easy to me, and it doesn’t take much for me to put myself in someone’s shoes, I can never know exactly what someone else is going through.
One of my favorite books is Michelle Phoenix’s Edge of Tidal Pools. I read it in highschool and remember crying very hard when I read it. Note: I don’t cry over books- it’s VERY rare. This book shared the story of someone’s pain and while it was fiction, it was based on events that really have and do happen to people. It broke my heart to think of this horrible emotional pain that was detailed by the author. A pain that was very real to many around me.
Pain is something very real to me- which has helped and hindered me. Helped me to understand others, yet hindered me in forgiveness. The people that I’ve had the hardest time forgiving are those that have knowingly hurt people I love.
The more you love people, the wider the door for them to hurt you…and sometimes loving people deeply allows you to almost take on their pain in ways you aren’t meant to. Because in the end, you cannot feel their pain, nor can you take it from them. No matter how much I love someone or feel compassion for their pain- I can never take it all on or away. All my desires to help, love, and be compassionate to people are nothing. I cannot feel nor ever experience the pain, abuse, hurt, and loss that any other human being has. I can only know what is mine to feel. Yet…
There is One Higher and Greater than I. One who not only can imagine your pain, but experiences it with you. The one who took on the Pain of the Cross so that one day the unique, individual, and original pain of your heart and mine would not only fade but heal. For he that trusts in Jesus, there will one day be more than no more tears- there will be no more scars. Only pure love and joy flowing from the heart of He who created you- unique and original, individual you.
Tags: Alone, Edge of Tidal Pools, Elizabeth Smart, God, Healing, heaven, hurt, Individual, Jaycee Dugard, Love, Michelle Phoenix, original, Pain, Past, Scars, Suffering, Unique
Finally, after 3.5 years! Thankful for all I’ve learned and all God’s given me! It’s been a crazy ride, but I’m thankful for it. Even the rough spots. Especially those..diamonds come from pressure! So, if you want to grow- it’s gonna hurt a bit. :)
My online classes always make me think. Sometimes more than other classes…Maybe because I actually have time to think about the material! Anyway, the prompt asked us to discuss what our emotions and actions would be like if we knew we were going to die soon. This is what I wrote:
