Sunshiine sent me a very famous photo of
The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb.
The editors titled the picture, "Hand of Hope." The text explaining the picture begins, "The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life."
Little Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture. She said, "The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person." Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful. Now see the actual picture, and it is awesome...incredible....and hey, pass it on.
My response to Sunshiine,
I am working on "forgiveness" or overlooking as taught by the Course in Miracles. I am trying to be peace, to send peace. This photo stirred me a bit off that path. Any coaching by Reiki Cafe members (Paulette, Kimberlee) who have supported me in the work, would be appreciated:
~
I love the photo, and know why it moves you. It moves me as well. The Course in Miracles says "forgive" meaning overlook the faulty perception. This faulty perception, or nightmare is an entrenched illusion (See note on propaganda below). And has caused great misery in my life. Oh, it is getting easier to release, but I see so much pain caused by this distortion, both for me, and for others, that there is some resistance I would like to present.
As I read and do the exercies in CIM, I have to give up attacking in all forms. I can't even attack the pope. I send him peace. I am peace to him. I studied today, "I am the light of the world." If that is so, my function is to shine. Light does not battle or overcome darkness; it simply is.
(Propoganda note) Catholic Churches have used this photo, printing hundreds of black-and-white copies, to make an assault on pro-choicers/abortion. Oh, Sunshiine, I hate abortion, too. But I see it as a response from confused adolescents, young adults who are not taught that with the gift, comes sacred responsibility. The burden of total abstinence seems unduly harsh, though the people at my Methodist Church would disagree. Why is there so little clear-thinking in this arena?
Why can't we teach, not silence, but to our children, that this mystery of sexuality is SO RICH? In my tradition there are simply warnings to abstain til marriage ... and NO GOOD INFORMATION about the journey, the feelings, the hormones, the reachings ... how natural they are, how they are supposed to rock, dissemble and move our worlds. Wow, they do. Pretending they don't is a joke!
This is the force that injects life from life into life. These feelings, my sister, I know, all have their place. I hurt at the ancient teachings of my church. I want to ask in a child voice why can't this church of my Fathers own that these feelings exist, they are part of the human packaging? No woman is waiting in a bed to sort out a priest's very difficult day ... No one to hold them. And so, they reach, wrongly, for the children in their spiritual care, for a false comfort that has caused unspeakable damage. This has happened to friends, family of mine.
The pope's throat, I believe, is so diseased because he has not said, "I am sorry. We have failed our children."
Top-down responsibility is what I see from my boss at the nursing home. The buck stops in his office. I am not talking about financial compensation; I am talking about owning responsibility. Do you see how hard I have to work to see the beauty here; how a miracle of life-affirmation can be used by those who would steal the very holy juice from life. And I see me looking down the tunnel of my dark basement pasts, not being peace, not being the light, not OVERLOOKING their use of this photo, and by not forgiving/overlooking setting this illusion more firmly in place in my heart.
So I stop.
I breathe. I am peace, I am light. I send peace to the pope, to the priests whose hearts were hurt and, who made choices that were less-than-honorable, just as I have made similar choices in different situations.
So, I send them peace.
Send all who see this photo peace.
And forgiveness, my function as well.
Question:
In CIM, is forgiveness and overlooking the same?
P.S. I just delight in this photo. I loved the tiny fingers of my babies best of all. I am now seeing my great-nephew, Asher, grip the sweater or blouse of whoever is holding him. I wish so much better in the realm of sexuality for him.
My Samuel will not be taught by a silent father. Sexuality is so close to spirituality - reaching beyond the confines of the self, moving from isolation or self-absorption into intimate community, the two becoming truly one. Wow.
Thanks for the photo. This Course in Miracles does not even let me battle my favorite punching bag, the Roman Catholic Church. Viva la clear perceptions! Au revoir distortions of an kind at all.
Love,
Dale
Thanks to all for help. I don't like being at war with anyone. I feel like I am fighting myself.
