Dear God,

First I want to thank You for answering my previous letters.

When as a doctor I couldn’t understand why You made a world filled with disease, war, cruelty and all kinds of difficulties, You pointed out to me that a perfect world is not creation. That there would be no need for doctors or anyone else and we would all become totally bored by life and find it meaningless. I remember You saying it would be far worse than a spending a lifetime in Hawaii. But what really made the point for me was your letting me visit the Garden of Eden.

When I saw all the traffic backed up at street corners because everyone was saying, “I love you. You go first.” “No you go first. I love you.” Everybody was loving everyone else and no one was going anywhere. I saw what a problem a supposed perfect world would be and got the point.

Then when I wondered why children died and animals didn’t live as long as people and all living things didn’t get the chance to live to a ripe old age, You explained again. It was easy to understand from my experience with our pets that they do not need as much time as people do to learn about love, compassion, kindness, faith and hope.

Understanding that every life is like a candle and the length of the candle isn’t about one’s age but about how much time we would spend on this planet. And our job was to illuminate the path for ourselves and others and not worry about how much time we had but to get the job done and burn up and not out before our time.

You also agreed with me and explained how disappointed You were with what religions were doing in your name. Instead of living the message they were fighting wars and each one was claiming you belonged exclusively to them. So here is my next question. What is the best way for me to accomplish what You have put us here to accomplish? I know I am here to serve and offer my body for the benefit of others but how do I know I am doing it right? Please be my coach and give me some guidance. You know what that word means to me God U & I Dance. So how do I dance to your music?

I love hearing your voice when I am quiet inside. Thanks, now I see I am to imitate God and use You for a role model and You said if that is a little tough there are two other examples. One is WWLD and the other is WWWD. You know I’m not good at parables please explain.

Oh, I’m to act like a Satellite dish, remote control and TV screen. I get it. I am to choose the channel I tune into and use my mind like a remote to select the proper channel, which is broadcasting your message, and use my body to demonstrate it like a TV screen reveals the program. So what’s with the WW stuff?

Oh those are my role models to help me become the person I want to be. I see What Would Lassie Do and What Would Water Do? I get the first one that’s easy to understand because animals are complete and man is not. So when I feel aggressive I am to use the energy to play or get some work done and not hurt anyone, but what’s with the water thing?

Oh, I am like water and again and again will be born on the wheel of rebirth. Just as streams of water find their way over and around obstacles to rejoin the sea of life I will find my path in life and flow with it and when I become vapor or mist I will come to understand that I will return to earth as rain does and be born again. And if I learn what I am here to learn when I am born again I will help to teach others how to become co-creators of a world filled with faith, hope and love for all things. Thanks again for being my coach.

Bernie

PS: And thanks for teaching me about life being a series of beginnings. To say the beginning instead of the end when I finished my report to you and the board of directors was a unique experience but as you say graduations are called commencements, not terminations and the Bible ends with a Revelation and not a conclusion. So I shall see life as a series of beginnings. Thanks again.

 

 

Bernie Siegel

Dr. Bernie Siegel, who prefers to be called Bernie, not Dr. Siegel, was born in Brooklyn, NY. He attended Colgate University and Cornell University Medical College. He holds membership in two scholastic honor societies, Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha and graduated with honors. His surgical training took place at Yale New Haven Hospital, West Haven Veteran’s Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He retired from practice as an assistant clinical professor of surgery at Yale of general and pediatric surgery in 1989 to speak to patients and their caregivers. In 1978 he originated Exceptional Cancer Patients, a specific form of individual and group therapy utilizing patients’ drawings, dreams, images and feelings. ECaP is based on “carefrontation,” a safe, loving therapeutic confrontation, which facilitates personal lifestyle changes, personal empowerment and healing of the individual’s life. The physical, spiritual and psychological benefits which followed led to his desire to make everyone aware of his or her healing potential. He realized exceptional behavior is what we are all capable of. Bernie, and his wife and coworker Bobbie, live in a suburb of New Haven, Connecticut. They have five children and eight grandchildren. Bernie and Bobbie have co-authored their children, books and articles. Their home with its many children, pets and interests resembled a cross between a family art gallery, museum, zoo and automobile repair shop. It still resembles these things, although the children are trying to improve its appearance in order to avoid embarrassment. In 1986 his first book, Love. Medicine & Miracles was published. This event redirected his life. In 1989 Peace, Love & Healing and in 1993 How To Live Between Office Visits followed. He is currently working on other books with the goal of humanizing medical education and medical care, as well as, empowering patients and teaching survival behavior to enhance immune system competency. Bernie’s realization that we all need help dealing with the difficulties of life, not just the physical ones, led to Bernie writing his fourth book in 1998 Prescriptions for Living. It helps people to become aware of the eternal truths and wisdom of the sages through Bernie’s stories and insights rather than wait a personal disaster. He wants to help people fix their lives before they are broken, and thus not have to become strong at the broken places. Published in 2003 are Help Me To Heal to empower patients and their caregivers and 365 Prescriptions For The Soul, in 2004 a children’s book about how difficulties can become blessings, Smudge Bunny, in 2005 101 Exercises For The Soul and out in the Fall of 2006 a prescriptions for parenting book Love, Magic & Mud Pies. Published in 2008 Buddy’s Candle, for children of all ages, related to dealing with the loss of a loved one, be it a pet or parent, and to be published in 2009 Faith, Hope & Healing with survivor stories and my reflections about what they teach us. Woody Allen once said, “If I had one wish it would be to be somebody else.” Bernie’s wish was to be a few inches taller. His work has been such a growth experience that he is now a few inches taller. His prediction is that in the next decade the role of consciousness, spirituality, non-local healing, body memory, and heart energy will all be explored as scientific subjects. For many, Bernie needs no introduction. He has touched many lives all over our planet. In 1978 he began talking about patient empowerment and the choice to live fully and die in peace. As a physician, who has cared for and counseled innumerable people whose mortality has been threatened by an illness, Bernie embraces a philosophy of living and dying that stands at the forefront of the medical ethics and spiritual issues our society grapples with today. He continues to assist in the breaking of new ground in the field of healing and personally struggling to live the message of kindness and love. Dr. Siegel appeared on the radio show “Healing the Grieving Heart” with Dr. Gloria & Dr. Heidi Horsley to discuss Finding Thanksgiving After Loss.

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