A Balm for So Many Wounds « Beyond the Horizon 3

Feed on: Posts; Comments

A Balm for So Many Wounds

*****

When I read The Diary of Etty Hillesum (”An Interrupted Life”)about three years ago, I felt an immediate kinship with her, even though her life experience was completely different from mine. What captured my attention was the confidential relationship she had with God. This is something I had searched for through the years, something that was totally lacking in my life. I’d read The Story of a Soul and St. Faustina’s diary, but stylistically, the language in these beautiful writings did not touch me as much as Etty’s did.

She’s just a girl who lived during a difficult time, and who discovered that, by developing her interior life, it was possible to transcend all the horrors of this world. It was not an escape mechanism, though, because the most wondrous thing about her life is that she was truly a balm, for so many wounds, and she still is today. Her every gesture, and her every thought contains a special lesson of courage, fortitude and undaunting, unselfish love for everyone.

I, too, wish to be a balm for so many wounds. This has always been my dream, ever since I was a child. Maybe one day…

11 Responses to “A Balm for So Many Wounds”

on April 26, 2007 at 8:49 pm1 Carol

Okay.
on April 26, 2007 at 10:52 pm2 forget me not

I wrote it long ago (hand written!) but I haven’t had a chance to transfer it here. Maybe because I’m still thinking about it.
Thanks for the Etty link. I’d read that article before but I re-read it today. I have the Italian version of the book and it’s nice to read at least some quotes in English. I think I’m going to ask my bookstore guy to get the English version for me.
I’ve read a lot of Merton’s works in both languages. It give you a wider prospective.
on April 26, 2007 at 10:54 pm3 forget me not

PS Thanks for waiting! I keep promising things (Padre Pio part 3, first love, etc!!) and never get around to it!
on April 29, 2007 at 6:16 pm4 New Page « Beyond the Horizon 3

[...] A Balm for So Many Wounds [...]
on May 1, 2007 at 4:21 pm5 autumnrose

I too have read Etty’s book, and found it an inspiration, as your blog is also
on May 2, 2007 at 12:00 am6 forget me not

Thank you Autumn Rose, your blog is also an inspiration. What good friends I have made in the past few months!
on May 3, 2007 at 2:55 pm7 Br. Chris

Beautiful! Especially that part about not being alone in the midst of the abuse. That message is truly something that is a healing balm to so many how thought they were.

Peace and Goodness.
on May 3, 2007 at 7:44 pm8 forget me not

Thanks Br. Chris, and thanks for visiting!
on May 6, 2007 at 5:37 pm9 Driftwood

Forget me not, your sincerity and compassion for others is part of the healing balm that flows from you so freely and bathes those in need.
on May 10, 2007 at 6:50 pm10 freddie

Ciao Forget me not,
wow, what a story, really…life! one of the most wonderful word, life…
Anyway, beside the whole story I just stopped and read your last blog. I see you like reading, then you shall read a book, which is actually a diary, written by Christophe Lebreton. He’s one of the 7 trappist Martyrs killed in Algeria in 1996.
It’s not too long, but so rich. I cannot read more than few paragraphs @ a time. He does lead me near God and I stop praying, and praising. The title is “il soffio del dono”; if you think you’re interested let me know and I’ll give you more details.
Pace e Bene
br.Freddie
on May 10, 2007 at 10:09 pm11 forget me not

Thanks Br. Freddie. I’d love to read that book. Just let me know the editor, and I’ll order it. Ho bisogno del soffio del dono oggi… Grazie.