I write tonight as a 72 year old man who has been diagnosed as having the
early stages of Parkinson's Disease. I experience no tremors which is a
blessing. I do have short term memory problems, aching joints, and some other
symptoms but all in all I'm in pretty good shape and leading a relatively normal
life. I guess what haunts me is the fact that this ongoing "degenerative brain
disease" will increasingly hinder and hamper my life and gradually wear me thin
and wear me out!
I don't want this to happen to me or my wonderful, loving, patient and understanding wife. I need to be more conscious of my short term ups and downs so I don't inflict them on her or let them capture me. I need to be active, positive, involved and determined to live out my remaining years in reasonably good health and even better spirits.
God has been good to me; patient, forgiving, supportive, and ever at my side. May my faith deepen as my body slowly disintegrates and as my ability to handle the basics of existence becomes more muddled. I know He is with me morning, noon and night. But I need to reconnect to Him, not as much as a cry for help but more as prayer that my condition will make me more loving and sensitive to others who also carry their various and sundry burdens as they grow older and weaker and less able to cope.
Here is my prayer of the moment.
Lord, please help me cope with a life that is ever challenging and continue to believe in a life that is everlasting. Please help me to seek peace of mind as I accept the miracle and the reality of life as it is presented to me and not to forget the reality of a Savior who never leaves my side. Help me to offer up my pain and fear and worry as a prayer for others who share my valleys and fears about the tomorrows. Into Your healing hands I commit myself and those I pray for and worry about. I know that You will hear us, hold us, help us, and heal us in ways that only You can understand. Thanks be to You, God of us all, for listening to our cries. Amen.
Alan Houghton is a retired Episcopal Priest. He resides in Pawleys
Island, South Carolina with his wife Billie, a retired Social Worker.
A Pocket Prayerbook: prayers for everyday and for everyone is available through Faith@Work for $4.
Other Prayers and writings by Alan Houghton...