A couple weeks ago, the staff and family members of Taylor Manor participated in a walk to raise money for Alzheimer's research. Alzheimer is a tough disease for both the family and the person who suffers from it. For the person who has been diagnosed with it, they have to face the fact that they will have to give up many things bit by bit.
The families also have to come to grips with the fact the life will change. And any change is difficult. But suffering is a part of our lives, from the beginning to the end. Everyone suffers in some way or another at various times in their lives. Our natural tendency is to avoid suffering. We try to change things to remove whatever is hurting us. We take pain medications, we go to doctors and all that is good. We should take care of our health and follow our doctor's advice.
But suffering can be a great teacher too. Suffering can teach us to patience both with those who are ill but also with ourselves. It can teach us charity as we try to take care of our loved one who is sick. It isn't easy to wake up in the middle of the night to take care of your elderly parent. But then again, how many times did your parent wake up in the middle of the night to change your diaper and feed you when you were a baby?
Suffering can also teach us humility. It isn't easy to ask for help and most of us like to think that we are totally independent. But in reality we all rely on God for our very being. Our next breath can only happen through the will of God. So asking for others to help us when we are sick when we would rather be able to do it ourselves will help us to grow spiritually because we will grow in humility.
So pray for the sick and suffering. Pray also for those who are taking care of the sick. But also pray that when you are sick you accept it as a grace from God and learn from it.
