Choosing healing

Alyssa had 4 wisdom teeth removed today and she is having a rough time of it.  Although watching her come out of the anesthesia was mildly entertaining....ok...let me be honest....VERY entertaining!  She is always adorable...and was equally adorable coming out of anesthesia.  She is not so adorable right at the moment.  She has been hurting since we got home and the initial anesthesia began to wear off.  After some decent pain meds and some sleep, she is now attempting to eat and drink a little...and thank God for the cell phone so she can text and not talk.  I think tonight may be a little rough for her.  But I hope that she is able to find relief in the morning.

Alyssa has never, since she was a young babe, been a fan of anything remotely medical, and has done her share of  stressing about this procedure.  It went well, those pesky wisdom teeth will never bother her again...and as time passes she will begin to heal and start becoming herself again.  I have been watching her today and thinking about the healing process.

Alyssa has been through a rough year...emotionally and physically.  I, too, "have been there" and understand what it's like to be in unhealthy and painful situations.  I think the first step is always to just tread water...try to keep ourselves afloat until we can figure out what is going on...what direction should we head in to try and feel better.  Like Alyssa today, at first she was just miserable...paralyzed by the pain and not able to do much else.  But once she got some meds in her and some rest...she has been able to move past the pain a little...it's still there...but she is looking forward, having conversations, taking nutrition, she is able to deal with it and take the steps that she needs to so that she can move in a healthy direction.  This seems so much easier when it's a physical pain....a concrete experience...so much more difficult when the pain can't be touched....when you can't always identify what hurts.....and more importantly...why.

I think about all the people in the world that are in pain, that are struggling and in need of healing.  I see it so often...so many people that are in pain...still treading water...trying to decide which way to swim toward a healthier and happier existence. It's so hard to know...what the cure is...which direction to go.

I don't have the answers.....I wish I did...and unfortunately the answers are different for each person....the cure....different for each person.  I do know this...we can't do anything or get anywhere alone.  We need to be there for each other to help the healing process.  Sometimes it's understanding, sometimes it's love, sometimes it's tough love....   Although much of curing happens from within, I do know...that none of us can find the answers completely alone.  I do believe....that healing, like loving, and believing and reaching out and choosing joy.....is a choice.  I pray that we all choose to move in the direction of healing....and reaching out to help another heal.


"I'll lean on you and you lean on me and we'll be okay."
- Dave Matthews Band