Season of Healing

A friend of mine sent me a really neat e-mail message the other day that really resonated with me.  I have pasted it below. What really got me thinking was the metamorphosis of my zipperhead. If you've been reading my blog, you have seen the picture posted of my newly shorn head. It's been 16 days since my surgery and I have healed so well, my hair is growing back quickly.  I guess what I am trying to say is we all see things differently. 

An innocent web surfer who would stumble upon my picture might gasp in horror at the sight of my zipperhead. But to me, friends and family, who have walked along side me during my chiari journey might view my zipperhead differently.  To me, it's definitely a victory badge ~ a sign of the end of one journey and the beginning of a new, healthier one. A wise friend of mine referred to my scar as 'a line of strength and determination' ~ I really like the sound of that! 

There was an Indian Chief who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise. 

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen. 

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfilment.

The Chief then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree's life. 

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, & that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up. 

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, fulfilment of your fall. 

Moral: 

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. 

Don't judge life by one difficult season. 

Live Simply. 

Love Generously. 

Care Deeply. 

Speak Kindly. 

Leave the Rest to God. 

Happiness keeps You Sweet, Trials keep You Strong, Sorrows keep You Human, Failures keep You Humble, Success keeps You Glowing, But Only God keeps You Going!