Prayer of St. Francis
A Christian prayer for peace which I first became familiar with in the recovery community, the Prayer of St. Francis, prompted a great conversation just the other morning. And while the prayer has many applications to recovery programs, I couldn’t help but see how relevant the prayer is to my membership at Krempels Brain Injury Center as a brain injury survivor. Before I explore the KBIC community’s connection to this powerful prayer that first appeared in a small spiritual French magazine called La Clochette (The Little Bell), let’s first review the prayer’s words:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
The altruistic theme and selflessness offered as the way to ultimately receive blessings is obviously of tremendous relevance to the 12th step of recovery where a message of recovery is carried to someone still sick and suffering. Undoubtably, the gifts in each line (pardon, faith, hope, light, joy, consolation, understanding, love, and ultimately eternal life) are sought by all humans, but certainly brain injury survivors. In fact, if you replace the word “alcoholic” with “brain injury survivor” in the 12th step, the prayer applies to a community of brain injury survivors! After all, I’ve come to accept that a brain injury isn’t something that goes away or fully heals; but with acceptance, suffering fades.
I still find myself amazed at the amount of time that has passed since I sustained a TBI over 19 years ago. I do remember the tremendous fear for the future and grief of having lost the possibility for a life I had imagined, made having hope or experiencing joy again impossible to imagine. Still very much depressed despite making meaningful progress in rehabilitation, I found my way to KBIC in November of 2008. It still warms my heart to remember feeling part of life again among KBIC’s amazing community in that first morning meeting. While I certainly wasn’t there thinking that I could contribute anything, to feel a part of something bigger than myself, a community of survivors was powerful! And now, all these years later, it still is!
In fact, my thoughts on the term recovered when it comes to both addiction and brain injury have really evolved with great aid from my ongoing membership at KBIC. Sure I have moments that I dream to run and lift weights like pre-injury Jim, not experience memory blank spots or recall challenges; but with acceptance and incredible support, that is not my only barometer of recovery. I’ll never not have a Brain Injury, but I no longer suffer from that fact and somewhere along the way Krempels presented the opportunity to help others on their journey. Kind of makes me think of that age old question of “whether the chicken or the egg came first?” Well St. Francis, is it that being recovered that allows one to aid another, or does aiding someone else’s journey boost recovery?
I remember countless members whose encouragement, example, and shared experiences provided me hope and guidance as I began my new life after brain injury. It’s a beautiful opportunity that KBIC presents to members at the Center and in the community at large to help others…For David Krempels inspiration and the incredible community that has flourished, I am filled with gratitude!