one of my elderly clients, N, has been dealing with some feelings of guilt regarding all the "bad" things he's done in the past---referring to his participation in wars and the things he had to do b/c of it, as well as other things in his past. in our sessions he's processed some of these horrible things, and a few weeks back he told me he didn't think he'd "make it" (meaning, to heaven, which he believed in. as a young man, he had been thinking of becoming a pastor like his father).
one of the songs we always sing in the session is "amazing grace" and we had talked about what that meant, and i reminded him of the criminal on the cross next to Jesus and what Jesus' response to his plea for remembrance of him. grace is just that, undeserved favor. it is not karma....we get grace when we ask for forgiveness and believe what Jesus says is true of himself and of us.
today, out of the blue, N tells me, "i've been thinking about what you said....i think i'm going to make it."
i felt like the angels rejoiced.
On my way to Oz
15 years ago
2 comments:
did you cry when he said that? beautiful.
What a goosebump moment! Sweet when God give us a part in those... esp. when someone is so near to the end of their journey. Hooray for my music therapist friends (as usual, I am your profession's biggest cheerleader) :).
-Liz
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