Several years ago when I was studying abroad in Singapore, I happened to be walking out of the bathroom of a public restaurant when I bumped into an Indian man who had white, irregular blotches on his entire face and body.
It all happened so quickly, and my immediate reaction was to close my eyes and recoil in fear. I remember feeling guilty for the rest of the night, wondering about the other unkind reactions this man faced anytime he stepped foot in public.
Just today, a 48-year-old woman named Connie Culp unveiled herself for the first time in the public spotlight as the nation’s first face transplant patient. Five years ago, after her husband shot her in the face before shooting himself, the entire midsection of Connie’s face was completely destroyed. She had no nose, and she relied on a tube in her windpipe to properly breathe.
As a result of her recent operation, Connie can now smell and taste her food again, in addition to having a chance at a more normal public life.
Unlike most people who have one face throughout their entire lives, Connie Culp has already had three faces: the face of the attractive, married brunette before the accident; the noseless, disfigured face of domestic violence; and now, the slightly bloated face with nose and skin that was all donated from a recently deceased woman.
And yet, underneath it all, I also see a fourth face that is perhaps the least interesting in the eyes of the media: the inner face of a strong, compassionate soul that hasn’t changed. The hidden face who humbly asks the public to deflect the attention away from her and focus instead on the generosity of the donor family that made her new life possible.
Powerful!
I have been there. Feeling emotions that I know in my heart are not Truth and Love.
Blessings to Connie. She is a brave soul.
Debra
Yumi, Very Moving.
Thank you for calling us into this compassion and understanding and for bringing us together as witnesses to the possibilities for transformation when people team up for the good of all within the response to one.
Thank you for reminding us of the incredible radiating effect of one action, one decision, one moment in time changing many moments for many and thank you for calling us into our observation and realization of the response to every thought word and action we ever experience.
Thank you for presenting to us on this day, the courage of one, backed up by the knowledge, expertice, humour, support and caring of 'the team.'
Let us bask in the blessings that the beauty of Connie Culp's soul have brought to us today.
May it be that the world will see the beauty beyond the mask of tragedy.
Love,
Starshine
What a story. I hadn't heard of this. Powerful.
Yumi, this is a powerful story. You're so right about the fourth face–the face of a strong, compassionate soul that hasn't changed. She is brave and courageous and beautiful! You too!
Cheers,
Michelle
Michelle Schoffro Cook, DNM, is a best-selling & 6-time book author
The Life Force Diet, The Ultimate pH Solution, The 4-Week Ultimate Body Detox Plan, The Brain Wash, and Healing Injuries the Natural Way.
http://www.TheLifeForceDiet.com
Whoa!…
Yumi-ji- Many years ago when I was in India I was walking down a road in a village. in the distance a person was walking closer and closer until I could see that it was man (a leper) who had no face just a skeleton – holes for eyes, nose and ..it was unreal for me way back in those hippies days. The image is still with me.
It did help to know that we are not the body, mind or emotions. We are consciousness/the Universe in a body- our vehicle in this earth body life.
Joyfully,
Ed