Stories of Soldiers | Alpha & Omega Healing Arts Dr. Hanna

Good & Bad Relationships

web com — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 07:15:19 +0000

Away From Home

Encountering Sexual Diseases & Broken Hearts In “Love” Relationships

In my many years of practicing Family Medicine, I’ve seen, heard, and felt the cries of many a broken heart. It’s hard to forget the flowing tears, and the loud cries of young broken hearts. Unfortunately, so many anxieties about various sexual diseases contracted during “love” relationships afflict a lot of young men and women.

A patient once shared with me that a new boyfriend left and broke her tender heart. Consequently, She was sobbing and crying profusely as she shared her story with me.

Alas, no words could comfort her. So, I just calmly listened as tears filled her eyes and streamed down her face.

Yearning For Home

“I just want to see mom and dad…I miss them so much…want to go home,” she said as the flow of tears choked her words. A deep sense of betrayal, rejection, and abandonment overwhelmed her.

Feeling of loneliness and worries gripped her heart. Someone whom she deeply loved and trusted has left her with a contagious disease, and a made up excuse. The pain of rejection, and the anxiety of a life time of a dreaded disease was too much to bear. So she cried as I listened to her tearful words.

The world with its traps, deception, and demanding relationships is harsh and unmerciful. Sooner or later, we’ll all find out that it’s safer at “home” where parents and those we trust dwell. But, unfortunately, many of my patients and a lot of us did not grow up in such a home. Not everyone grew up, or currently lives, in a home that’s deemed safe. Sadly, many of us dwell in homes with people that can’t be trusted.

Living in a Ruthless World

Nevertheless, in a dark, corrupt and often times unloving world where greed, lust and predators abound, we need a home.

My patient’s world was dark and harsh and so she cried. Many of us cry. Some uncontrollably like she did, while others with silent tears that can mushroom into depression, anxieties and addictions that will need to be treated.

Truly, we live in a world where lies, liars, greed, cruelty, pride, and lust are the norm. Sadly, it’s a place where “love” relationships can be fake, and often times lead to broken hearts and sexually transmitted diseases.

Many of us medical professionals have become so skillful in treating the rampant epidemic of depression, anxieties, and mental health crisis that plague our patients. Fortunately, we have been blessed with so many effective medications to treat these plethora of diseases.

But to heal our anguished hearts from the wear and tear of abuse and rejection in relationships we need a “home”. And in order to heal our deceived and wounded souls from the lashes of a brutal world we need to go “home”.

Going back Home

Jesus tells us a story in the Bible about a son who asked his dad for his inheritance money. He got the money and left home. Following that, he spent his money, energy, and time in fun and pleasures. But like everything else pleasurable in life, all of his fun and excitement ended when his money dried up. And much like what we face today, his “friends” and those he had a relationship with abandoned him. As expected, they drew closer to him to enjoy and take what he offered, and abandoned him when he had nothing left to give.

But, after losing everything; money, friends, and dignity he decided to go back home where he was warmly welcomed and accepted by his Father who represents God.

In a world where predators, abuse, rejection and hurt abound, God offers us a home to come back to.

True healing for my heart and yours is only found in a home, a secure relationship, where we can safely find someone that we can completely trust. Home is a warm place where we are fully and unconditionally forgiven, loved and accepted.

Home: Living in a Trusting Relationship

To Jesus, home is where we find a healthy and trusting relationship with God. It’s where we know without a shadow of a doubt or any hidden agenda that we’re both liked and loved. Similarly, it’s a place of light and peace of heart where we are not “loved” for our bodies, looks, money or success. A home is where The trustworthy God is in a genuine, loving, honest relationship with those who choose to dwell in it.

Finally, home is a dwelling where our self-rejection, self-depreciation, and self-hate end. It’s where self-disdain, devaluation, and self-condemnation cease. Because of that , at home we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us; redeemable, accepted, loved, valuable and beautiful.

I’m certain that it’s only in such a relationship between God and man/woman, with its single motive: love, that our hearts begin to heal. Even in a world where deception and cruel relationships prevail, we can find hope. Ultimately, my patient’s tears will stop, and we will no longer cry when we are back home.

So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Luke 15: 20-21

Views expressed here are only of the author, and do not represent the views of any other organization or entity. Information in this blog are not meant to be medical advice. Please see your medical provider or psychologist for any of your medical or psychological concerns.

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Heightened Anxieties

web com — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 03:24:03 +0000

Our Minds in a State of War

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America ” Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year. “

A while ago, a patient that I’ve treated soon after his return from a tour of duty in Iraq during the peak of the war shared his heightened levels of anxieties with me.

His mind was in a state of war even in the quietness of an exam room in Indiana far away from the battlefields of Baghdad where he experienced the terror of IEDs and the death of few of his army buddies.

To my surprise, his state of worries and anxieties weren’t related to the war zone that he just came from, but to the prospect of not finding a job and the potential financial setbacks in America. He shared that his anxieties about the unknown future awaiting him in the United States were worst than the fear of war and dying in Iraq.

As a Family Physician, I treat a lot of patients who are overwhelmed with their anxieties, and whose minds and hearts are in a constant war against countless fears, worries, and anxieties. Many of us live in an anxiety state worried about when the other shoe will drop, and the feared potential of a financial crisis, a job loss, a rejection, the next email or an unexpected disaster.

We live in a fast paced world that’s overflowing with tension, competition, deception, betrayal, jealousy, and greed. A dog eat dog world where genuine love, grace, and compassion are often hard to find.

Could that be one of the main reasons that 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety? Is that one of the main reasons why hundreds of millions of people globally have anxiety disorders?

Learning When To Stop

The journey of overcoming anxieties and the heightened level of worries in our human minds can take time. Yet, it’s a war that will surely be won with patience, faith, the right thoughts, support and genuine help. And if needed with medications and compassionate professional counseling.

Friends, even as we pursue all of the above in our journey of healing let’s consider and reflect on these words of truth and hopefully transforming thoughts.

Peace, Love, value, security, forgiveness, affirmation and acceptance are God-made and freely given to us by God our maker. Not by a world where love and compassion is scarce but by One Perfect God.

Holiness and perfection is beyond our human abilities. They are offered to us despite our human failures and sins courtesy of God’s perfect love. Not by our imperfect world where hurts and darkness abound.

God’s perfect love drives out our fears

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

We all need to let the soft and caring voice of God lead us, and not to be led by the voice of our fears and anxieties.

Can we hear God’s gentle voice in our loud and noisy world, and in life’s challenges?

Let’s just do our part well, and do the best that we humanly can do, Then let’s stop and have faith that God can and will do his supernatural and miraculous part to change our circumstances, open doors of opportunities, and lead us to what is right and best for us.

God help us all to learn the Art Of Stopping and waiting. To learn when to stop, and to let God take over.

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

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Spontaneous Automatic Biases (SAB)

web com — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 05:04:38 +0000

Toxic Biases

Overcoming Our Biases

The online site Dictionary.com defines bias as an “Inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair.”

Spontaneous is defined as “Performed or occurring as a result of a sudden impulse or inclination and without premeditation or external stimulus”

Automatic means “Done or occurring spontaneously, without conscious thought or attention.”

You won’t find the phrase Spontaneous Automatic Biases (SAB) anywhere else because I coined it myself. Years of living and experiencing the school of life, both personally and professionally as a physician, have left me convinced that no one is immune to SAB. We have all been subjected to bias, and just as likely have subjected others to its harmful effects.

How many of us harbor “Inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair.” What kind of biases do you and I have towards ourselves, and others?

I call it SAB because biased opinions, decisions, words, or behaviors can come at us from others, or from us to others instantaneously, and unexpectedly much like a predator suddenly attacking its prey. We see SAB everywhere. It’s there when we opine about others and when others form opinions about us based on looks, height, color, wealth, profession, culture, or race instead of skills, good character and strong moral stands. You see it at work between lords and peasants, leaders and those they lead, step- families and in-laws, and amongst friends and strangers.

Since setting foot in America, and for many years as a resident and a practicing physician, I heard and experienced enough stories that meet and exceed the criteria of Spontaneous Automatic Biases. Some of those included statements like “Africans are lazy” and “ Do people there live on trees.” Other stories included patients who declined medical care because a physician or a nurse wasn’t the right race, and a white patient in Minnesota who refused to let a brilliant white South African surgeon who practiced in a prestigious surgical group in the Twin Cities remove his diseased gallbladder.

“He has a foreign accent. I don’t want him to do my surgery,” said the patient to a white American surgeon in the same Minnesota practice where I was doing a surgical rotation as a resident. To his credit, the white American surgeon refused to do the gallbladder surgery and told the patient the inappropriateness of what he said.

“He is an excellent surgeon who is well educated. You need to go back to him for your surgery.”

Do you have deeply hidden biases in your heart that shape your opinions, words, and behaviors? Do we have spontaneous automatic biases that wound those around us?

I remember when I first came to America, I had a culturally biased view about western women. They were often portrayed in the American movies that we all watched overseas, the magazines we read, and in the traditional society that I was nurtured in, as generally wild and of loose moral standards. My loving dad’s strongest advice to me as I embarked on my journey to America was “Women in America will knock on your door. When a woman in America knocks on your door don’t open it. Let your school and studies be the most important thing in your life.”

Apparently, Hollywood and the media has succeeded in presenting to the whole world its version of womanhood depicting and sadly exploiting all that is sensual and sexual about American and Western women. Thus, it has created a biased view among many people from strict and traditional societies, namely that women are wild, easy, or loose. Sadly, I believe a lot of Hollywood’s biased rendition of women has been believed, copied, and duplicated by young children, teenagers, and adults thus shaping much of society’s norms, beliefs, and behaviors.

As for me, coming from a traditional upbringing to America, the heavy Hollywood influence on the culture has solidified such biased thinking and beliefs. It took me time and God’s help and grace to overcome these biases and see what is right and true in God’s view. What about you? Do biases affect your opinions, view of life, words, and action? And how can we overcome our Spontaneous Automatic Biases?

Until next time, I’ll reflect on this Bible verse that reminds me of God’s view on what really matters.

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

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WHAT DO I NEED?

web com — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 02:29:02 +0000

The “WHAT” that we all need

There was a time in my life, during my adolescence, when I didn’t have a clue as what to do, and what my purpose and mission in life was supposed to be. All what I was able to figure out was my realization that I have deep inner soul needs that go beyond my physical needs for a secure home, a place to sleep, and food to eat. We will all, sooner or later, come to the discovery of our deep rooted, and mountain high need to be loved, valued, and accepted.

There is no argument that we all have a long list of wants, asks, and needs. And we often confuse our soul’s deep and God-created inner needs with superficial and fleeting hosts of unfulfilling asks, pleasure driven wants, and greedy “needs”.

But in a world so saturated with deception, manipulation, lies, greed, lust, betrayal and anger that continuously affect our thoughts, emotions, and actions, WHAT do we really need?

As I reflect on the needs of my own heart and soul, and those of the thousands of patients that I’ve listened to and treated throughout the years, I feel firmly convinced that WHAT we all desperately need can’t be adequately, permanently, or fully satisfied in what our world offers. Worldly praises and pleasures, riches and relationships can’t fully, certainly, or adequately meet our inner cries of the heart, or heal its deep hurts and wounds. The evil words and deeds, wear and tear, use and abuse that we’re subjected to, or that we subject others to, need a salve of perfect love that isn’t found in this world, or in any of WHAT it offers.

So friend, what does my heart and yours need?

Here’s a list of our deep inner needs that’s worth pondering upon

Forgiveness/Freedom/Faith, Approval, Redemption, Acceptance/Assurance, Hope/Help/Healing, Love, Value, Companionship, Intimacy, and Security/Safety/Strength.

To meet all these vital needs, you and I have to continually decide on WHAT we must seek and have in order to meet our needs. Am I Waiting/Worshiping, Hoping, Acknowledging, and Trusting (WHAT) in people, relationships, success and whatever looks and sound believable?

Or, am I Waiting/Worshiping, Hoping, Acknowledging, and Trusting God to meet all the deep inner needs of my soul. I believe, it’s through having faith in the truth of God’s Word that my soul encounters His perfect Love which is The Ultimate Unconditional Love that meets all of my inner longings and needs.

Thank God for the unselfish love, help, and support that we’ve all received in one way or another from many wonderful people in our lives. Such people are true blessings and are like light in the darkness of the many negative life’s experiences that we’ve all encountered. The truth is no matter how loving and supportive anyone in our lives is, the ultimate source and giver of love and all blessings is God. We’re only resources, much like tiny branches of a tall red forest tree, and not The Source of love and Life the Almighty God.

Our human tendency is to make an idol to worship of anything, and anyone whom we assume could fulfill and meet our inner needs, comfort, and soothe our wounds. But this will make us sooner or later worshipers of people and things who hope in vain to find perfect love where none is found causing us more harm and soul injury.

So, WHAT is the Source of love and life that will meet all my needs and heal my soul? Who is the Source that will meet all your heart’s needs?

Friends, the answer to these questions will either make us or break us. We must choose wisely if we are to find the ultimate Source of our Forgiveness/Freedom/Faith, Approval, Redemption, Acceptance/Assurance, Hope/Help/Healing, Love, Value, Companionship, Intimacy, and Security/Strength.

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

Psalm 23:1 (NIV)

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Lies…Lies…Lies

web com — Sun, 15 Sep 2019 04:10:19 +0000

Exposing and Defeating Deception With Truth

Friends, we live in a world jam-packed with lies and awash in the darkness of deception.

We’re all engulfed, immersed, and surrounded by dark oceans of lies. I’m not just talking about a deceptive used car salesman (apologies to those who sell cars. Not all of them are bad) who wants to sell you a lemon or a clunker car with a life span of few days. Lies and deception is what we see, hear, and experience throughout our earthly life span.

Everywhere around us, we see, hear and experience deception and lies. Some of these lies are so cleverly diluted with a 1 to 99% truth that make them believable and trustworthy. It’s in the news, in special interest groups with specific agendas, in social media, and in words and actions we hear and experience from friends or foes. It’s in you and me if we choose to lie and deceive others to satisfy our pleasures or to accomplish some selfish goals.

Even those whose name, integrity, and trustworthiness seem to be ironclad can be wrong, mistaken, deceived and can lead others astray much like a blind leading the blind. In medical school, I’ve often heard this well-known statement attributed to the father of evidence-based medicine Dr. David Sackett:

“Half of what you’ll learn in medical school will be shown to be either dead wrong or out of date within five years of your graduation; the trouble is that nobody can tell you which half–so the most important thing to learn is how to learn on your own.”

Dr. C.Sidney Burwell who was Dean of Harvard University’s Faculty of Medicine 1935- 1949 once addressed Harvard medical students with these words

“Half of what we are going to teach you is wrong, and half of it is right. Our problem is that we don’t know which half is which.” Harvard Medical School’s website at https://hms.harvard.edu/about-hms/facts-figures/past-deans-faculty-medicine

Both of these men realized our human limitations to being infallible, right, truthful and accurate. In my nearly two decades of practicing medicine I’ve seen the truth of their statements again and again. Estrogen and opioids, among many other examples, that physicians were routinely bombarded with news of their safety and benefits, and practically faulted and shamed for not prescribing to their patients( with medical “research” by certain groups and entities to justify their frequent use) turned up to be one of those “half of what we are going to teach you is wrong”. Estrogen taunted by scientific minds and clinicians as great for the heart caused enough heart attacks and strokes to strongly discourage its long term use, and opioids ( including prescription and illicit opioids) killed more than 399,000 people from 1999-2017 ( Scholl L, Seth P, Kariisa M, Wilson N, Baldwin G. Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths – United States, 2013-2017. WR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 21 December 2018). Someone got much richer with misinformation and deceptive words that misled physicians and patients alike.

Do you wonder what medical information and choices are currently being marketed to us by few entities as right, accurate , and truthful only to be shunned and discredited years later? The art and science of medicine is a blessing and saves many lives but scientific claims that are purposely driven by greed, half- truths, deception, alternative motives, and false information kills and destroys many lives including 399,000 young lives, and counting, who died from overdose.

Truly, deception steals your peace, kills, and destroys. I wonder, how many of us are buried under a load of lies, deception and faulty thinking about our value, worth, and significance? How many of us believe lies, half-truths, and deceiving thoughts about ourselves or others because someone that appears learned, smart, trustworthy, and nice said it.

Is what you heard yesterday, hearing today, and will hear tomorrow about you from others 100% true? Are those negative thoughts you and I have about ourselves, others, and about our future 100% true?

Friends, let’s be wise. Human words, thoughts and the evaluation of others (and our own negative thoughts and views of ourselves) are mostly subjective and can be based on wounded feelings, biases, prejudice, turbulent emotions, greed, lust, jealousy, anger, ambition or pride.

Put what you hear including new scientific claims under the microscope. We must be critical thinkers who take the mean and negative words and thoughts targeted at us by others, and those we inflict on others with a grain of salt.

A lie and a deceptive word can only hurt us and destroy our lives if we believe it and embrace it as the truth.

In this dark world of overflowing lies and deception, I’ve decided to seek and pursue the truth of God who declares me valuable, worthy, and significant. You and I are declared by God in the Bible as worthy of love, forgiveness, acceptance, and redemption. And that’s The Truth that we can fully embrace, find hope in, and that will bring light to every heart overburdened by the evil darkness of lies and deception.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

John 8:32 (NIV)

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What Goes Up Must Come Down

web com — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 03:52:48 +0000

Friend, are you starting to envy those who seem to climb one ladder of success after another?

Just watch and see. What goes up will eventually come down. In this world, we’re all destined to come down from our temporary high places no matter how high up the ladders of fame, fortune and success we go. Pharaohs, ancient kings, kingdoms and empires all rose and then fell. The cycle of climbing to the highest level of this world’s success then suddenly or gradually descending down 6 feet under after the brief and temporary excitement of power, pleasures, and wealth is predictable and unfailing.

And then there are those who callously harass, mistreat, degrade, or abuse others. The same thing will happen to them for they too have but a limited time to do their foolish and evil games. They might gloat and revel in their temporary sense of power and pleasure, but their disgraceful fall will certainly and unexpectedly follow. They too will follow the path down into the grave that awaits all of us mortals one day; rich and poor, powerful and powerless as we report to God our maker.

Friend, let’s not waste our lives by dwelling on the unfairness and injustice of those who tower over us because of their power and position, or those who deceive, use, or show us evil. God is waiting for them, and their time to answer for every wrong deed or word is coming.

Don’t live in the misery of anger or bitterness towards those who do you wrong for God is watching and there is a due time of divine dealing with those who’re not wise enough to fear Him.

Don’t waste the precious days of your life feeling bitter and terminally affected by any betrayals, or by dirty and wrong deeds that you might have been subjected to. Instead, keep on living well and let God do whatever He sees right, fit and appropriate to those who choose good over evil, pride over humility, deception over honesty, and using others instead of loving them.

Let’s meditate together on this divine words of wisdom found in Psalm 37

Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.

Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37: 1-4

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Love: The Hope, Help & Healing for Soldiers, Veterans, and for All

web com — Sun, 26 Aug 2018 07:31:53 +0000

Finding The Love that heals us, and gives us courage and confidence

In my many years of medical practice, I’ve often seen the pain and devastation of rocky relationships, substance abuse, low self esteem, fears, and anxieties in so many lives including many of our brave soldiers and veterans. I’ve listened to tender and broken hearts whose burdens of sadness, worries, and anxieties about their physical health, job, money, legal or home-related problems were too much to bear alone.

Their faces and names are different but the stories I’ve heard throughout the years of practicing the art and science of medicine seem to mostly hover around the same theme: Life Is hard, and true Love is hard to find.

Indeed, far too many patients, military and civilians, I’ve seen and heard are hurt and discouraged by hard life experiences. They feel unloved, and doubtful of ever finding true love in their lives.

Friend, we can’t give what we don’t have. We can’t give away genuine love to others if we don’t receive it and experience it ourselves.

Truly, how can any of us live well without finding such love. Unconditional love liberates us. It strengthens you and me and gives us a sense of purpose. Without it, I can’t be all what I was created to be. And without it, we can’t accomplish all what God destined for us to accomplish.

Higher, purer, unwavering, and unconditional love is what I need. It ‘s what you need. That’s why there must be an ultimate Source of unconditional, unceasing, never-ending and genuine love Who loves us first with no strings attached. A Source who renders us loved, lovely, and lovable. It’s only then that you and I can begin to love ourselves and others.

This ultimate Source of unconditional love who loved us first is our maker and creator: God

“…God is Love”

1 John 4:8

Renowned American actor, Chris Pratt, who acted in multiple TV productions and movies such as Jurassic World, and the Guardians of the Galaxy series among many others said it best on June 16,2018 as he was presented with the prestigious Generation Award at the 2018 MTV Music and TV Awards.

“God is real. God loves you. God wants the best for you. Believe that. I do.”

Bishop Michael Curry’s Royal Wedding Sermon

As our country, and the world are challenged by unprecedented suicide rates, I find many who are in urgent need not just for good antidepressants and anti-anxiety pills, but desperately in need of finding genuine love. Gentle, sweet, tender, dependable, friendly, caring, and welcoming love redeems us from despair and hopelessness. It saves us.

“…Love never ends”

1 Corinthians 13:8

Adel G. Hanna, M.D.

Author: Soldier To Soldier Heart to Heart

A Doctor’s Stories from a Military Camp

Amazon Author Page

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Gallery

web com — Sat, 02 Jun 2018 11:11:34 +0000

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SOS

web com — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 16:09:07 +0000

SOS

(· · · – – – · · ·)

Staying safe in a chaotic, unsafe world

We live in a great nation, America, where peace and not war permeates in our midst. I grew up in Africa’s largest country where civil war, bloody coup d’état, and periodic martial laws were common to many of her inhabitants. The continent of Africa, and most of the other continents were, and still are, engulfed in endless wars, and periodic bloody battles that threaten the safety and security of many innocent lives.

America, with laws to abide by, and a robust police and military forces with authority and public accountability to guard the peace, is a breath of fresh air. What a blessing today , to many of us who immigrated to the USA from countries and cities plagued by periodic wars and unrest, to see friendly and smiling people (for the most part) walking, driving and working without the fear of being carjacked, hijacked, beaten, jailed, or shot for no reason but for having different political views, or religious beliefs.

Yet friend, even in our war-free nation, there remains many things that can still threaten our peace, safety, and security. From human injustices, and vicious crimes in many of our city streets and cities, to tornadoes, volcanoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes, we’re often reminded that even in the absence of war in America, our peace of mind, safety and security can be still be elusive, threatened, and lost.

It’s no wonder, in a world where chaos can rule, and where our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being might be threatened or lost by man-made evil , or natural disasters, we all crave and are in a perpetual pursuit of rest and solace in safe and secure relationships. But sadly, many a relationship ends up being messy, unsafe, and an emotional war zone that rivals those of the streets of Damascus, Kabul, or Benghazi.

The casualties, and after math of such human relationships that are ruled by injustice, discouragement, jealousy, anger, and lack of love is what you and I, and all of those in the medical and nursing professions, encounter daily. Friend, whether we give our time to those in need, lend a therapeutic listening ear, or tender professional and administrative care with kindness, care, and compassion, we’re all equal partners in this endeavor. Ours is a higher call to listen, heal, and alleviate the pain and suffering of those whose bodies, minds, and spirits have been afflicted by life’s toxic and unsafe relationships.

There are no words that best exemplifies that inner thirst for safety in relationships than the tattooed words I’ve once read on the forearm of one of my young patients:

“In all this chaos we found safety,” written on one side, and the name of a best friend, whose relationship offered that deep soothing sense of safety, on the other side.

“Explain,” I asked.

“It’s about finding safety in something…in God…in friendship…in something, “my patient explained.

So friend, as we ponder on the effects of safe and unsafe relationships in our personal lives, and the lives of those entrusted to us, may we find strength, patience, words, and wisdom from above to be an oasis of equality, tenderness, forgiveness, and mercy to ourselves and to others. May we be non-judgmental, respectful, thankful, merciful, kind, and loving to all of those we encounter; ourselves included.

For it is only then, that you and I “in all the chaos” would be a haven of rest where comfort, safety, and safe relationships are found.

⁸He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly^[a] with your God.

Micah 6:8 (NIV)

Adel G Hanna, M.D,

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Upgraded

web com — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 13:19:31 +0000

Who are you?

Who am I?

why are we here?

As we ponder on these centuries-old questions we often reflect on our personal life purpose, present, past, and hopefully future needs to grow, improve and upgrade.

Do you feel that you are long overdue for an upgrade?

No I’m not talking about your iPhone or mine, but about a total reboot and upgrade of our body, mind, and spirit.

I once owned an iPhone 4s for years, but after repeated pleas from family and loved ones, I had no option but to release this old and outdated 3G version phone, and what I thought was the best plan, to oblivion. I finally had to make the hard decision ( the easiest and only decision in my pleading teenage children’s view) and part ways with an aging device that was no longer able to deliver what I needed. And man! my newly acquired iPhone 6 have upgraded, sped, and enhanced the way I write, research topics, blog, and watch that fascinating thing called Netflix; blessings that I’ve long resisted and failed to see.

Friend, do you feel like my old iPhone 4s in desperate need for an upgrade and a reboot? The truth be told, you and I are always in a lifelong search to reboot and upgrade ourselves. God knows, we can all afford to have good upgraded thinking and set of beliefs that will fix our bad attitudes, and replace any of our dark and negative feelings, emotions, and the behaviors that follow them.

In essence, we all feel at times like my old phone that has lost its energy, power, significance, and was desperately in need of an upgrade. But even as I acknowledge my need for a regular body, mind, and spirit upgrade, rebooting, and renewal, I must also recognize that my human worth and value can’t be up for an upgrade.

For even as our old and obsolete phones might desperately need upgrades, the great value of owning and using a smart phone in our fast and technologically savvy world remains solid and unchanged. Similarly, our amazing human value never changes or lessens even as our physical bodies, attitudes, thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are desperately in need of a major reboot, and upgrades that are available for us to choose from.

I believe our human value and worth can’t be up for an upgrade because

it’s God-given.

It’s ours to have and enjoy.

It’s God made and not man-made,

and hence it’s our legacy and an inheritance to always keep throughout our life journey.

But this journey from cradle-to-grave can be messy for all of us, messier for many, and extremely messy for a number of us. As a physician with many years of patient care experience, I’ve seen, heard and treated thousands of good people who lost their physical and emotional health, their families and friends, kidneys and limbs, youth and energy, peace, and hope. Yet, I know that the very one thing they have never lost, and can never lose is their inherent and God made human dignity, worth, and value.

Sadly, money, wealth, degrees, jobs, skills, past or present failures or successes, mental state, age, color, race, ethnicity, looks, childhood home, age, success, power, position, sickness, physical handicap, and personal life choices and beliefs are what our sinful, dark world uses to determine one’s worth and value. But contrary to our societal indoctrination, thinking and emotions, we’re all still valuable and worthy with or without any of the above.

You and I are inherently valuable and with immeasurable worth whether we’re rich or poor, black or white, tall or short, young or old with Alzheimer dementia, skinny or large, saints or sinners, with legs that can walk and run or without limbs, physically active or a quadriplegic in a wheelchair. Our looks, possessions, physical abilities, past failures, life choices, or whatever we choose to believe, think, and pursue aren’t determinants of our human worth and value.

Friend, Who am I? and Who you’re? are never meant to be determined by my, your, or someone’s personal thoughts, or feelings. For God has created, and made us in His image; unique, approved, beautiful, loved, worthy and immensely valuable as quadriplegics in wheelchairs or as Olympians winning 100 -meter races.

    So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27 (NIV)

Advice and recommendations offered here are not meant to replace your medical provider’s individual evaluation, diagnosis and treatment. Please see your medical provider for any physical or emotional concerns.

Views expressed here are only of the author, and do not represent the views of any other organization or entity.

Adel G. Hanna, M.D,

Author: Soldier To Soldier Heart to Heart

A Doctor’s Stories from a Military Camp

Blog: www.adelhanna.com

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