Healthy Living
Life Anyone?
© 2008
by
Stephen A. Peterson
Marine Captain Michael Lewis, a counseling psychologist, was making his rounds visiting with hospitalized military service members when he came upon Marine Sergeant Alvin Searcy. Sergeant Searcy had been sentenced to life in a wheelchair as a result of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) while serving on military duty in Iraq. Though understandably devastated by his prognosis, the injured Marine had made excellent progress.
“Do you mean physically, Captain?” asked Sergeant Searcy’s Battalion Commander, a veteran Lieutenant Colonel.
“No, mentally and spiritual, Colonel.” The psychologist explained it in this manner: “My first question to Sergeant Searcy was ‘Do you want to live or not?’ Before his injury I was told that the Sergeant lived a very active life, and the thought of a sedentary existence left him uncertain about his future and life in general. I immediately let him know that if he didn’t want to live anymore, I could no longer help him. If he did, we could explore his possibilities together.” The paralyzed Marine, though still uncertain about a few things, decided he did, in fact, wanted to go on with his life. He was asked to prayerfully consider his tomorrow. He indicated in my most recent conversations with him, a desire to become a physicist.”
The Sergeant’s Battalion Commander was surprised by the psychologist’s blunt question about wanting to live, but when he considered the alternatives, he readily agreed with the therapist that it was a critical question.
Unless we say “yes” to life, and it is well-documented throughout the annals of history, the human spirit cannot triumph. Half hearted living is no living at all. It is comparable to one’s faith. Lukewarm, tepid faith is really no faith at all. Fortunately, God has planted a strong desire to live and survive in each of us. Some call this the “survival instinct”. That is, a force that resists death to the end. The mystery that remains and has been debated among some of the most brilliant minds down through the centuries continues to be why it so often takes a life threatening act or event for humanity to discover life’s absolute preciousness and its true purpose and meaning.
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