Miracles

A heart-wrenching facet of networking in the online melanoma community is that death abounds. Good, funny, tough, and courageous folks who’ve received the best available treatment and the prayers of scores of loved ones, and fought like hell every step of the way, still succumb to this damn disease. But every so often one hears a story of seemingly miraculous healing and recovery. Is divine intervention at work in these tales?

My own views on that theological question are a muddled mix of hope, skepticism, and an uncertain faith. If prayers for healing work some times, then why is the answer to such prayers some times “no”? Is God even a micromanager to this degree?

I’ve had one experience that caused me to ponder about the healing power of prayer that I’ve never before shared with a single soul. I was incarcerated in the hospital following extensive neurosurgery to take a first whack at Mr. Schwannoma, and was experiencing some very intense pain and precious little relief from a morphine pump. A lay minister stopped by to offer me communion (which I declined for reasons I won’t go into here) but she nevertheless offered to pray for me. I accepted. I don’t recall a word she spoke but she laid her hand on my head as she prayed. Almost immediately, I experienced a warming, calming and soothing effect and the pain subsided to the point I quickly fell asleep. Was it just a coincidence, with pain meds finally kicking in at the time, or was something more going on there? All I know for sure is that I’d like to think it was the latter.

Maybe, just maybe, healing miracles really do happen. To the tune of The Moody Blues’ “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere”…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjImFYf2Vzc


I know they're out there somewhere
Somewhere, somewhere
I know we'll find them somehow
Somehow, somehow
And somehow they will heal the pain in you

C’s mist is drifting slowly
I can’t see the way ahead
And I've left behind the empty treats
That once inspired my life
And the strength of the emotion
Is like thunder in the air
'Cos the promise that I’ve made this cancer
Haunts me to the end

I know they’re out there somewhere
Somewhere, somewhere
I know they're out there somewhere
Somewhere You can hear our voice
I know we'll find You somehow
Somehow, somehow
I know we'll find You somehow
And somehow You'll begin our lives anew

The secrets of life’s beauty
And the mysteries of our souls
I've been searching for in every post I read
And the times I've been quite taken
It's impossible to say
And no grass is growing
Underneath our feet

I know they're out there somewhere
Somewhere, somewhere
I know they're out there somewhere
Somewhere You can hear our voice
I know we'll find You somehow
Somehow, somehow
I know we'll find You somehow
And somehow You'll begin our lives anew

You see I know cure's out there somewhere
O yes I know cure's out there somewhere
You see I know we'll find cures somehow
O yes I know we'll find cures somehow

The words that I remember
From my childhood still are true
That there's none so blind
As those who will not see
And to those who lack the courage
And say it's dangerous to try
Well they just don't know
That hope eternal will not be denied

I know they're out there somewhere
Somewhere, somewhere
I know they're out there somewhere
Somewhere You can hear our voice
I know we’ll find cures somehow
Somehow, somehow
I know we'll find cures somehow
And somehow we'll begin our lives

Yes I know it's going to happen
I can feel cure getting near
And soon we'll be returning
To the fountain of our youth
And if you wake up wondering
In the darkness He'll be there
His arms will close around you
And protect you with the truth

I know cure’s out there somewhere
Somewhere, somewhere
I know cure’s out there somewhere
Somewhere You can hear our voice
I know we'll find cures somehow
Somehow, somehow
I know we'll find cures somehow
And somehow we'll return to life anew