Do you know a person who no matter what’s going on in your life, just spending time with them is like human medicine that simply makes you feel better? It isn’t that the time with them takes away your pain, sadness, sorrow, worries or challenges in life, but the mere shared time together leaves you feeling happier and able to face whatever life throws at you.
I am blessed to have a loving husband who I also consider my best friend that is that human medicine for me. And I’m equally blessed to have many other good friends and family members who are also human medicine for my soul and spirit.
I’m also reminded that sometimes it isn’t about me at all and finding others for my human medicine, but instead, we are all sometimes called to be human medicine for others, including spouses, partners, friends, and strangers alike. The happy irony is that when you are present with someone as that much needed human medicine, it also heals and renews your spirit in return too.
I can look back at my life and count many times where I’ve been human medicine for others and them for me.
For example, as an inquisitive child who also loved to tell stories and talk, some things don’t change lol 😂, I was human medicine to break the grief, if only briefly, for my father and his siblings when their Mama, my Granny Smith died. I was human medicine helping my exhausted mom take care of my baby sister when I was 7 years old, even when she was throwing toys out of her playpen and hitting me in the head. I was human medicine for friends who were feeling isolated or left out at school. I was human medicine for my bunkmate in Air Force Basic Training that first night and first week as he was fearful and homesick. And as an adult I’ve been human medicine for my husband and many friends and family as they’ve faced life’s challenges. And throughout all of those experiences, they’ve been human medicine for me in my journey too.
I encourage you to reflect on your stories and when you’ve been human medicine for someone else or they have for you. How did it feel for you? What did you or they do or say to be that human medicine or was it simply being beside you quietly holding space together? Right now, we all could use a good dose of human medicine that helps us renew our spirit for the journey we’re on. Consider how you might be human medicine for others right now. And if you need human medicine too, don’t hesitate to seek it out. I’m sure you know some folks who can help. Remember self-care is ok and necessary because we can’t serve others from a broken and empty vessel that is us. Find your healing and wholeness through human medicine and remember always, Your Story Matters.
