10 years

10 years

Last Saturday, I stood before several hundred people at Stanford University to speak about my experience as a 10-year survivor of a Bone Marrow / Stem Cell Transplant I received there.  Almost 100 BMT caregivers were there, 300 other survivors and many families.  About 10 of us gave short remarks all of which were received well by the audience, some with standing applause.

I was going to put the text of my speech in this space, but two events changed my mind.

First I was informed that yet another member of my church is dying of a late-diagnosed aggressive cancer   that makes two this spring.
Reading my email further, I found out that a friend, in remission for 5 years had her cancer screening last week and received the dreaded “It may be nothing, but…” message from her Doctor.  She goes in for another scan and more tests tomorrow.  Suffice to say she is frightened beyond words.

So, I cannot rest on the laurels of my recovery and those others at Stanford – yet.  We’ve won our battle but the war against this disease, which now affects 1 out of 3 Americans, is not over.   With prayers and good thoughts for my friend and for the other man and his family, I need to go back – into the breach.

I pray for comfort for the one man and his family, and healing of fear and for a good report for my friend tomorrow.  As I visit patients as a Chaplain this month, I will do the same.

We are getting closer to a cure with more effective treatments and higher survival rates. The war against cancer is one we will win, indeed we must win.   We have no other choice!

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Daily Meditation for July 25, 2011

This spoke to me today.

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Monday July 25, 2011    Digging Into Our Spiritual Resources When someone hurts us, offends us, ignores us, or rejects us, a deep inner protest emerges.  It can be rage or depression, desire to take revenge or an impulse to harm ourselves.  We can feel a deep urge to wound those who have wounded us or to withdraw in a suicidal mood of self-rejection.  Although these extreme reactions might seem exceptional, they are never far away from our hearts.  During the long nights we often find ourselves brooding about words and actions we might have used in response to what others have said or done to us. It is precisely here that we have to dig deep into our spiritual resources and find the center within us, the center that lies beyond our need to hurt others or ourselves, where we are free to forgive and love.   Comment on this Daily Meditation.   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Psalms from The Psalms, A New Translation ©1963 The Grail (England) published by Collins. Photo by V. Dobson.

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The Schoolboy (or the joys of Summer School) By William Blake

Dedicated to all of my friends teaching Summer School this year...

The Schoolboy

by William Blake

I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the skylark sings with me:
Oh, what sweet company!

But to go to school in a summer morn, —
O it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day
In sighing and dismay.

Ah then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour;
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning's bower,
Worn through with the dreary shower.

How can the bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?
How can a child, when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring?

O father and mother, if buds are nipped,
And blossoms blown away;
And if the tender plants are stripped
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care's dismay, —

How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy,
Or bless the mellowing year,
When the blasts of winter appear?

"The Schoolboy" by William Blake, from Songs of Experience, 1794. Public domain.

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Daily Meditation for July 11, 2011

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Monday July 11, 2011    A Time to Receive and a Time to Give It is important to know when we can give attention and when we need attention.  Often we are inclined to give, give, and give without ever asking anything in return.  We may think that this is a sign of generosity or even heroism.  But it might be little else than a proud attitude that says:  "I don't need help from others.  I only want to give."  When we keep giving without receiving we burn out quickly.  Only when we pay careful attention to our own physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs can we be, and remain, joyful givers. There is a time to give and a time to receive.  We need equal time for both if we want to live healthy lives.   Comment on this Daily Meditation.   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Psalms from The Psalms, A New Translation ©1963 The Grail (England) published by Collins. Photo by V. Dobson.

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Daily Meditation for June 26, 2011 A courageous life

As i read this, I am at a conference where we are trying to learn to make a difference to those around us.  How interesting that this popped up this morning!  Be courageous!

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Sunday June 26, 2011    A Courageous Life "Have courage," we often say to one another.  Courage is a spiritual virtue.  The word courage comes from the Latin word cor, which means "heart".  A courageous act is an act coming from the heart.  A courageous word is a word arising from the heart.  The heart, however, is not just the place where our emotions are located.  The heart is the centre of our being, the centre of all thoughts, feelings, passions, and decisions. When the flesh - the lived human experience - becomes word, community can develop.  When we say,  "Let me tell you what we saw.  Come and listen to what we did.  Sit down and let me explain to you what happened to us.  Wait until you hear whom we met,"  we call people together and make our lives into lives for others.   The word brings us together and calls us into community.  When the flesh becomes word, our bodies become part of a body of people.   Comment on this Daily Meditation.   Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Psalms from The Psalms, A New Translation ©1963 The Grail (England) published by Collins. Photo by V. Dobson.

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Prayers answered

I just heard from my friend who I took to hospital the other day.  She's out and in a much better place, though her friends and family have a lot of caring ahead of them so she can get back on her feet.

Thanks to Chaplain Art and to all my friends who said a prayer the other day!  BEN

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Tough day for a friend.

I took a friend to hospital this afternoon.  This friend is suffering from the darkest night of the soul.  She needs thoughts of love and prayer sent towards Sacramento tonight.

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