A CREED
FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED
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I asked God for
strength, that I might achieve
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly
to obey...
I asked for
health, that I might do greater things
I was given infirmity, that I might
do better things...
I asked for
riches, that I might be happy
I was given poverty, that I might be wise...
I asked for
power, that I might have the praise of men
I was given weakness, that I
might feel the need of God...
I asked for all
things, that I might enjoy life
I was given life, that I might enjoy all
things...
I got nothing
that I asked for -- but everything I had hoped for
Almost despite
myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men, most richly
blessed!
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Author unknown
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This
creed is hung on a wall at a waiting room of Institute of Rehabilitation
Medicine, 400 East 34th Street NYC.
|
My
thoughts: This is a famous creed introduced all over on the internet. This
institution must have put it up to help comfort the patients. I feel that these
are words from a person who is confronted with death unexpectedly. It seems to
be based on the Bible. Yet it is a worthy knowledge.
The
first two phrases signify that when people are too strong they could easily
harm others. When you are physically strong, you may feel powerful and
enraptured. Then carelessly harm others not only with arm forces but often verbally.
However, we only have one life
including the life after-death. And when we think about the later half (the
life after-death), it is certainly better to be weak and thoughtful/caring to
others. The third and forth phrases teach us that when we focus on getting rich
we tend to forget or spend less time on more important matters such as having compassion,
love and gratitude. This is
unfortunate when you think about what will happen in the life after-death. When
you are poor, you are sort of forced to think about these matters. You will have
more chance to think about it. When we suffer, we try to find answers and read
books etc. But if you were not able
to guide yourself to the truth, you could also turn into commiting a crime or
make big mistakes. When you are poor and yet humble, then you become a true
successor. When you are rich and yet humble, you could also be a true successor
and manifest wonderful things.
The fifth phrase is most important. It explains
about all the rest. The most
important thing to realize is that your life itself is a gift. Poor, sickness
and everything about your life is an experience. The experiences are the
greatest gift. And when you are able to acknowledge that you are able to enjoy
everything that happens in your life. To acknowledge that you are a soul and there is a divine
purpose for this short period of time on Earth. The purpose is to leave behind a piece of gratitude every step of the way.
Ikashite-itadaite arigato-gozaimasu
Thank you for letting us live
The author of this poem is unknown. It was first introduced
on the bibliography of Dr. Howard A. Rusk. Dr. Rusk was a prominent physician who was
passionate in researching about rehabilitation medicine under
WWII. The poem was first given to him on a Christmas card from Adlai Ewing Stevenson II. The poem was written by a
soldier who fought the American
Civil War on the Southern side. Stevenson found the poem in a church in South
Carolina. Rusk showed the poem to a patient. Then the patient showed the poem
to another young boy who was suffering from severe cerebral palsy. And he told
the boy “this poem is talking about us.” The boy showed the poem to his father and told him the same
thing. Then the father said, “no this poem is talking about me.” Later the poem became the creed of this hospital.
