Understand

"Your pain is the breaking of the shell which encloses your understanding" -by Kahlil Gibran, a quote from Kathryn Lynard Soper's book. The Year My Son and I Were Born.


I've just finished reading this book and honestly i was moved to tears by the author. Her raw honesty in conveying her emotions were so real. I couldn't help but feel her pain and joy and frustrations. The story of how she discovered herself, how she dealt with having a Down Syndrome baby. How through all the pain, she discovered herself and learnt that her son Thomas would teach her to rediscover.

I could relate to her pain and torment when Thomas was sent to the ICU minutes after birth, how she had to travel the tough journey of dealing with just having given birth and being with your son in the hospital. I've been though that too and the feeling then was just pure torture and it takes a toll on you emotionally and physically. I still shudder at the thought of it. How i managed i really do not know.

But i do know that somehow, those previous heartaches and pain i endured before Gabriel's birth, those events made me stronger and tougher. And now i think i understand that it was God's way of preparing me for the biggest challenge i had to deal with. It all prepared me for my greatest role ever: Mother to a Special Kid.

I wouldn't be who I am today without going through those events. And i thank God that today, I can say that i'm stronger than ever, more prepared than ever to give my all to my precious son. And i am capable of doing it all. It's all the "pain turned to superhuman strength" that will get me through.

I understand it all now....