I remember the day my friend Bruce Kramer said something that puzzled me but in the years since his death have come to appreciate.
Bruce Kramer. Dec. 17, 2012
Michael Bischoff and wife Jenny. Credit: CaringBridge website
We were having a conversation about the dismal efforts, over many decades, to find a cure for ALS; a disease that is always fatal. Bruce knew he wasn’t going to survive ALS, admitting “I can’t be cured.” then he took an unexpected turn and said “But I can be healed.” He set out to do just that before his death and I’d tell you that he became more fully himself, growing into his potential as a human being as he opened to healing instead of grasping for a cure.
We tend to mix up curing with healing thinking they mean the same thing. In fact, the dictionary definition of “cure” (to relieve a person or animal of the symptoms of a disease or condition) is a bit similar to the definition of “healing.” (The process of making or becoming sound or healthy again.) Bruce called us to enter into healing narratives instead of those that focus solely on a cure. This applies to all of us, even when we don’t know the conclusion of or understand the nature of whatever dis ease we face.
I have another friend who is living with stage four brain cancer. He is a young man with a young family and while he is naturally hoping for a cure, my wise friend is also open to healing. On his CaringBridge page, he wrote several questions that would make Bruce Kramer proud. The questions are good ones for all of us to ponder.
What does healing look like for me if I have a few months to live?
What does healing look like if I have decades left to live?
What is your next stage of healing?
Michael Bischoff in a moment of prayer. Credit: CaringBridge website
My friend is Michael Bischoff and he will teach us about the beauty of healing narratives and how to have healing conversations in a special event January 12, 2018 in the Shakopee area. Tickets are free. Here’s the link to sign up. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/healing-stories-in-shakopee-tickets-51090726739
I plan on going and I hope you will too.
