Strong at the Broken Places

Strolling down the beach yesterday I passed him. Having suffered a stroke, he drug one leg behind the other as he walked. His good hand held the other one which was curled and withered. I had seen him throughout the day as he made his way up and down the beach, again and again. And the man has one hell of a tan! This time, his bright blue eyes met mine and he flashed an incredible lopsided smile. We kept walking in different directions but his beauty and determination remain in my head.

Ernest Hemingway once said, "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger. You become strong at the broken places." My friend reminds me of this. He has survived and is doing his best to make things better. And he finds that he can still give of himself through lopsided smiles.

And I saw my tiny dancer again. She passed me on the beach and our eyes locked and she smiled as she waved at me with her withered hand. My eyes grew moist.

And then last night, friends who had left unexpectedly came back and fetched me for dinner. We laughed more than we ate. They left early so I sat and listened to the music for a while. My friends who work here checked on me throughout the night to make certain that I was fine.

I am grateful for all of these things. While I may have been broken, the gifts of friends reaching out is making me strong at the broken places. This is what really gets you through.

In the Bible, St. Luke is the author of two books, the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. I prefer Clarence Jorden's view of them. Luke is about Jesus the man. Acts is about Jesus, the men and women. In the Gospel, Jesus demonstrates how we are to treat one another. In Acts, we are expected to treat one another that way and that is how Jesus came back from the dead. When we resurrect him.

So yesterday, I found myself surrounded with holy acts of kindness. People who had been broken showing me that they can celebrate their life anyhow. In spite of the brokenness. Because of it! And there is grace in that. And healing.

And today I will embrace myself. And become stronger at the broken places.