Women Rock

There is more to healing than just the physical.

I have had so many wonderful empathetic ears that I had no idea how healing sympathetic ears could be also.

Picture walking into a 60 degree lodge full of women who are willing to freeze half the time just to get relief from the either occasional or frequent flashes of blazing fire in their bodies from chemical or surgical menopause. 

This is where I have been for four days this past weekend: a young breast cancer survivor's retreat with Women Rock for the Cure.

The retreat staff wheeled in our belongings for the weekend for us. But we were all carrying unseen luggage as well. Many of us had been carrying it all alone for too long of a time.

Laughing

Crying

Identifying

Celebrating each woman - all shapes, temperaments, personalities, colors, interests - but ALL living, with still beautiful bodies and even more beautiful souls.

It wasn't like a band aid that just makes you feel a little better about the deep and painful gash because you can't see it anymore and you know it is somewhat protected from the elements.

No, it was a vitamin that enters deep into your body and strengthens everything to promote miraculous, true healing.

We NEED each other.

Hearing - "no, I totally get it."

"Yes, me too"

"I'm afraid as well"

"Uh huh"

"Exactly!" -

Makes a person who didn't know they felt alone, really feel NOT ALONE.

If only I could verbalized the weight of the impact of a group of women who are all so unique, but each one with a body that tried to kill them - IS trying to kill them - and celebrating that it hasn't worked yet. 

In this moment - we are alive. 

Joyous.

Celebration. Of living.

Because only when we recognize the importance of living - the amazing-ness of it - can our souls begin to find healing.

If we don't know that we need it, we might not find it.

And sometimes it takes looking outside of ourselves. We look outside ourselves and it finds us.

Identifying.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

                       ~King Solomon

"In this world, you WILL have trouble. But take heart - I have overcome the world."

                       ~Jesus of Nazereth