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wakinglife at 09:33am on 06/05/2009 under compassion, differences, humanness, kindness, patience, understanding
wakinglife at 09:33am on 06/05/2009 under compassion, differences, humanness, kindness, patience, understandingConnie Culp, the first American woman to have a successful face transplant has revealed her identity. Her story is a sad one - a young, vibrant mother of two who was shot in the face by her husband in a domestic dispute. The blast shattered her nose, cheeks, the roof of her mouth and an eye. In interviews, however, she remains upbeat. Her new face transplant has allowed her to eat solid food and smell for the first time since the incident, as well as go out in public without fear of people's reactions.
I am always moved by stories like this. This woman didn't do anything wrong. She wasn't and isn't a bad person. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And it could have been anyone of us; it could have been you or your sister or mother or friend. Violence in this world is nothing new. As long as gun-control remains as lax as it is in this country and as long as people harbor anger and jealousy and resentment, we will have incidents like this. But the true redemptive qualities of this story speak to the resiliency of the human spirit. Where other people would have given up or wanted to die, this woman put on a brave face, even when she literally did not have a face to speak of.
Once, while out shopping, Culp heard a child say, `You said there were no real monsters, Mommy, and there's one right there,'". Culp stopped and said, "I'm not a monster. I'm a person who was shot," and pulled out her driver's license to show the child what she used to look like.
Culp said, "When somebody has a disfigurement and don't look as pretty as you do, don't judge them, because you never know what happened to them...Don't judge people who don't look the same as you do. Because you never know. One day it might be all taken away."
This woman is a hero. So many people have gone through physical and mental devastation, but it's our reactions to it and our ability to transform the pain into something transcendent, that speak to our humanness.
Remember when you go out into the world today that you have an affect on people, however small or large. Your actions and reactions can change a person's day. You can't know what others are going through or dealing with - loneliness, a mother dying of cancer, job-loss, a failing marriage, grief. But you can greet people with compassion, understanding and patience. Try it today. Smile at every person you pass on the street, say "good morning" to your coworkers, thank people, don't flip off other drivers when they cut you off on your commute, leave a nice tip for your waiter or barista no matter what the service was like, call your mom and tell her you love her. These things, however small or insignificant they may seem, do make a difference, I promise you.
And above all, be kind to yourself. You may not have the body you want or the amount of money you want or the job you want or the love you want. You may not be in the place you'd like to be in life. But you are blessed and you are worthy. And like Connie Culp, your ability to make the resources you do have work, is where your real strength lies.
I am always moved by stories like this. This woman didn't do anything wrong. She wasn't and isn't a bad person. She was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And it could have been anyone of us; it could have been you or your sister or mother or friend. Violence in this world is nothing new. As long as gun-control remains as lax as it is in this country and as long as people harbor anger and jealousy and resentment, we will have incidents like this. But the true redemptive qualities of this story speak to the resiliency of the human spirit. Where other people would have given up or wanted to die, this woman put on a brave face, even when she literally did not have a face to speak of.
Once, while out shopping, Culp heard a child say, `You said there were no real monsters, Mommy, and there's one right there,'". Culp stopped and said, "I'm not a monster. I'm a person who was shot," and pulled out her driver's license to show the child what she used to look like.
Culp said, "When somebody has a disfigurement and don't look as pretty as you do, don't judge them, because you never know what happened to them...Don't judge people who don't look the same as you do. Because you never know. One day it might be all taken away."
This woman is a hero. So many people have gone through physical and mental devastation, but it's our reactions to it and our ability to transform the pain into something transcendent, that speak to our humanness.
Remember when you go out into the world today that you have an affect on people, however small or large. Your actions and reactions can change a person's day. You can't know what others are going through or dealing with - loneliness, a mother dying of cancer, job-loss, a failing marriage, grief. But you can greet people with compassion, understanding and patience. Try it today. Smile at every person you pass on the street, say "good morning" to your coworkers, thank people, don't flip off other drivers when they cut you off on your commute, leave a nice tip for your waiter or barista no matter what the service was like, call your mom and tell her you love her. These things, however small or insignificant they may seem, do make a difference, I promise you.
And above all, be kind to yourself. You may not have the body you want or the amount of money you want or the job you want or the love you want. You may not be in the place you'd like to be in life. But you are blessed and you are worthy. And like Connie Culp, your ability to make the resources you do have work, is where your real strength lies.
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