Comments on: Ambulance Chasing

By: Melissa

Melissa — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:03:00 +0000

"... and my pain helps you understand your own, and in the shared conversation that happens, yours helps me understand my own too."

so true. and you have said it so beautifully.

By: Cat

Cat — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:14:00 +0000

simply beautiful MPJ.

By: laurie

laurie — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:32:00 +0000

My dear MPJ, you may well have outdone yourself with this post. And that, my dear is saying something. Bravo.

And thank you.

By: thegentlepath

thegentlepath — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:41:00 +0000

I sang that song over on the long drives to see my new therapist after I got out of treatment but I focused on "Save the life of my child, cried the desperate mother. What's becoming of the children? People asking each other ... Good God, Don't jump.

The best part is that I sing it to myself about myself, not to or about my children.

It's true. There is a difference between empathetic imagination and experience. When your friend finds a lump, vs. when you find a lump. When your friend deals with infidelity vs. when you deal with it. But never underestimate the power of elegant prose! That's what helps us find each other on our respective ledges -- it's how we call out encouragement and hope. Without this, the world is too bleak.

I just love your blog(s).

By: mapelba

mapelba — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:54:00 +0000

In Catholic school the nuns made us pray whenever we heard an ambulance. There's a lot about religion I've discarded, but not that.

Your post reminded me of some people I saw on the news a while back. A convicted murderer was executed and a few people in the prison parking lot cheered. Now, I can be as mean and vengeful as the next person, and I don't even need to get into the death penalty argument, but I thought the cheering was cruel.. Cruel even to the victims of this murder.

Well, I won't go on. I think you get the idea.

By: sawife

sawife — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 14:59:00 +0000

Many of us, once upon a time before our hearts were gutted out, have been right there with you gawking at the side lines. Now, not necessarily by our own choice, we are developing compassion and wisdom through this painful experience, which if we choose to can be looked at as a gift. A friend of mine said, "I am not grateful for sex addiction, but I am grateful for recovery." I have to agree.

By: mex (aka Syb)

mex (aka Syb) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:40:00 +0000

I tagged you for an award (or is it a chain letter???) ANYHOO.. PLEASE DON'T HAVE ME KILT!!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:32:00 +0000

I LOVED this post and couldn't say it any better.
I was in the London bombings of July 2005. I was not badly hurt and so I sat outside and waited while they helped those who really needed it. I have never ever experienced such kindness.
After a while I noticed the crowds all around, people taking pictures with their mobiles and on their tiptoes craning their necks to see. They didn't know. They didn't know at all. Part of me hopes they never will and the other nasty side ...

By: Sophie in the Moonlight

Sophie in the Moonlight — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 05:34:00 +0000

I am relatively speechless. (Relatively b/c I am ME)

I'm not sure what side I'm on, nor if it adds or detracts from someone else's pain. I do know that every time I pass an accident or see a fire truck or ambulance go by I make the sign of the Cross. I am a pagan buddhist, yet this is the sorta universal Go with God sign, and I use it.
Being in the ambulance is not fun. Watching someone else bleed is not sporting either. I'd rather hold and murmur soothings, or step away and leave it to the professionals.

By: Ingrid

Ingrid — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:48:00 +0000

This post touched me deeply, MPJ. Thanks for sharing.