Facing Problems Head On

We often  hear as parting words: 'don't over do it.'  Writing for the Seoul Diocesan bulletin a novelist introduces his article with these words that his doctor uses with him. He is being treated for cancer and reflects on his situation. His response to the doctor was: "Are you telling me to lay down and live the role of a sick person. If I do that I will be dead; if I do the opposite I will be living."

He tried to follow the doctor's advice: lying down, sleeping, reading, watching TV but found that he became more listless and depressed. He felt more like an invalid. So he decided to keep on moving as long as he could.

In front of his apartment, he walked the corridor which was about 100 steps. In the beginning, he had no desire to do this, but he came to a point where he could walk 10,000 steps. Any free moment he would go to the corridor and walk. In the beginning, it was with great difficulty, accompanied by dizziness and weakness but things changed;  he even left the apartment and started climbing a nearby mountain, resting often,

He tells us the story of a wise man  who was asked how does one escape from the cold and heat. Go to a place without cold and heat was his answer. Where in the world can I find such a place? the person asked. Why are you so uncomprehending? the wise man retorted. When you're cold you find a place that will make you colder, and when warm go to a place that will make you warmer.
 
When we go to a place that is warm to escape the cold, we are temporarily avoiding the cold. We are not getting rid of the cold. This is true also when we have pain and worries. We try to get rid of them by drink or by other means, but find that we are not able to do so. As the wise man said, to get rid of the pain and worries, or anything that is bothering us, we must face them head on.


A person wanting to learn archery was told first to learn how not to blink. A famous Korean general was known to have said that in order to live you have to die--words similar to the words used by our Lord.

He finishes the article with the words of the angels to the shepherds. "You have nothing to fear! I come to proclaim good news to you--tidings of great joy to be shared by the whole people." Even though it is more than we can bear, let us stand up, the writer says. Although difficult, if possible let us crawl. If we can walk let us walk; if we can run let us run--like the shepherds to the crib of our Lord.