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ROSEMARY'S
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Life transforming moments  Bad things do happen to good people … and bad. They are indiscriminate. Being imperfect people in an imperfect world means that bad things can happen to us. While driving to work I heard an interview on ABC Classic FM by Margaret Throsby. She was interviewing Robert Hughes. I was struck that with all the accomplishments in his life what featured in this interview was a car accident he had in Western Australia that nearly took his life. From his wheelchair he described this as a 'life transforming experience'. As the story unfolded it was clear that his was a major accident where nearly every one of his bones were broken and his recovery included 17 operations. Most philosophically he observed that this experience had given him an understanding of pain: a pain that can only be known in its reality. It was not the pain he used to fear at the dentist not the pain of an injury on the football field. This was pain. Yet when questioned he was resolute that he had known he would get through it and had never seriously considered giving up. Despite fear of losing consciousness, he wanted to live and loves life. Now I am not a believer in the adage 'everything happens for a reason'. I fail to see that there is any reason for anyone to break every bone in his body. Yet out of our disasters, through the very reality of our suffering, there is a possibility to learn and grow. Stripped of all pretension and brought to the edge of our existence we have the chance to see ourselves in our fragility and honestly see who we are and what our life and our death are about. While we may not have near death experience, we all do have struggles. Some people seem to have more than their fair share. But what is important is how we deal with them and how God reveals Godself to us in them.
While Robert Hughes' story is unique to him, there are many stories of courageous people facing huge challenges and doing so with grace and humility, with a positive spirit and faith. Sharing the stories helps puts a perspective on our own stories and gives us the courage that only comes from community. I only heard the beginning of the Robert Hughes story so I don't know whether he had anything to say about God in his experience. Yet such a 'life transforming experience' does often turn people's thoughts to God as the fragility of life is realised and the vulnerability of being human is made painfully evident. In our own transforming experiences we might also find prayer. It might be our own prayer that traverses all realms from angry ranting, to heart rending sobbing, to silent pleading, to grateful peacefulness and all options in between. A personal encounter with a God who has big enough shoulders and a generous enough heart to take all that we might dish out and still love us. Equally we might discover the prayer of others. To have another pray for me I have found to be a profoundly moving experience. It is like the story of Simon who carries the cross for Jesus. This action of the other doesn't take away the pain yet somehow enters into the experience of the helplessness. In that moment of praying is the touch of the presence of God. Every day in varying degrees there is the opportunity for that life transforming
experience, the connection with the transforming love of God at the heart
of our being.  Rosemary
What are your thoughts on Rosemary's reflection? Rosemary can be contacted at: rosemary@catholica.com.au ©2006 Rosemary Canavan |
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Rosemary
Canavan lives in Adelaide. Her qualifications include a Bachelor
of Arts major in Psychology and two Bachelors degrees in Theology, the
most recent an Honours degree in New Testament studies. She has two adult
children.