I am not a medical person, but I have sat with hundreds of people over the years and heard their stories. From broken bones to joint replacements to heart attacks, I have listened and prayed with people for the strength to get through these difficult times. I have seen firsthand the devastation dementia and cancer bring, and the tears of frustration that never seem to end when we find out there’s nothing we can do about it. And even though we are living in amazing times of healing and discovery, the illnesses keep coming. Nobody will live forever, but we all want to live long enough to experience all that life can offer.
One of the best sounds is when a person living with cancer can ring the bell, a sound of victory. They don’t know what the future holds but are glad for the moment. I can imagine that sound stays in their memory forever. Here is another sound of winning: the website is The Most Beautiful Sound. This is very new; I heard about it on NPR a week ago and went immediately to watch and listen. The sounds of cancer cells being destroyed seem to be unique to each one, just like the people they are attacking are unique. They are eerie sounds, something you might hear in an old Star Trek coming out of Captain Kirk’s phaser. For me, the sounds are secondary to the experience; it is the faces of the people that get me every time. The relief and joy of winning.
We all know that life can be hard; each one of us experiences struggle and loss and grief. For some, those burdens are heavier than others, and the strength people exhibit during these times of stress has always impressed me. Many of you have gone through tribulations I haven’t, and it is hard for me to know what that feels like. I see you bear the weight of uncertainty, and it makes me weep. I do know joy, and this video shows people’s joy in ways I have rarely seen. It is also a reminder that life is good, even though we go through bad things. It isn’t our fault or God’s fault; it’s the reality of being imperfect creations of a perfect God.
I pray for joy in the world every day, and I pray for strength when life feels hopeless. I hope that none of us will get cancer or Alzheimer’s or anything debilitating, but I know it will happen. If or when it does, I hope that each one of us will have people around us to support us during the worst times. Don’t keep your suffering to yourself; tell someone – reach out. Be clear about what you are going through and what you are feeling. Let someone else help you carry the burden, at least for a little while. None of us should walk through suffering alone; it may be that the second most beautiful sound is the voice of someone telling us they will be right there. We aren’t meant to be alone.
Prayer – Holy God, we don’t know why illness exists, but we pray that each one of us will not only reach out when we need someone, but will have others to do the same for us. Help us to be attuned to the needs of the people around us. Amen.
Today’s art isn’t – it is a cancer cell that’s about to be destroyed.