Today, I diagnosed metastatic cancer in a new patient who had just come to see me. I had to tell this young, beautiful, vibrant woman that did not not have long to live, perhaps a few months. There was nothing I could do for her. All I could do was to tell her that I cared for her. I could প্রদর্শনী her my professional “love.” My consultation প্রতিবেদন was faxed to the patient’s referring primary physician, and an ঘন্টা later, the physician called me, in disbelief. Together on the phone, we could only share a sense of profound loss.
আপনি might read this and think: প্রণয় is useless in this case. প্রণয় will not cure her cancer, nor will প্রণয় protect her from the pain and suffering that is imminent. And আপনি would be absolutely correct. But what is the alternative to love? Is it hate? Is it apathy?
When I was younger, I used to consider that only actions and accomplishments are truly useful. আপনি can তালিকা them, objectively and concretely. আপনি can measure productivity and compare the results to other people’s activities. But when there is no useful action, as in this case, is there nothing left but despair? When someone hurts you, is there nothing to do but retaliate? Medically, it has been shown that hate hurts আপনি physically just as much, if not more, than the person আপনি hate. Scientifically, it has been shown that despair pains আপনি mentally just as much, if not more, than actual bodily trauma.
So, should আপনি choose “love”, because it is the lesser of two evils? Well, I certainly do not think so. As I get older and accumulate আরো knowledge and experience, I realize আরো how little control I have over life in general. Maybe আপনি did not have a good childhood, perhaps people have done horrible things to you, natural disasters occur, and now আপনি are helpless.
Please realize that the only thing আপনি have under your control is how আপনি feel and how আপনি will react to external events. Unless আপনি have a psychiatric illness, আপনি can choose to “love” অথবা আপনি can choose to “hate.” None of us lives forever. Do আপনি want to wait until you’re lying on your deathbed before আপনি think “maybe I should have been nicer to this person অথবা to that person?” অথবা do আপনি want to evaluate every দিন of your life whether আপনি have contributed in some way some প্রণয় to the world that day? I offer আপনি my humble opinion that “Love is THE answer – every দিন of the year!”
আপনি might read this and think: প্রণয় is useless in this case. প্রণয় will not cure her cancer, nor will প্রণয় protect her from the pain and suffering that is imminent. And আপনি would be absolutely correct. But what is the alternative to love? Is it hate? Is it apathy?
When I was younger, I used to consider that only actions and accomplishments are truly useful. আপনি can তালিকা them, objectively and concretely. আপনি can measure productivity and compare the results to other people’s activities. But when there is no useful action, as in this case, is there nothing left but despair? When someone hurts you, is there nothing to do but retaliate? Medically, it has been shown that hate hurts আপনি physically just as much, if not more, than the person আপনি hate. Scientifically, it has been shown that despair pains আপনি mentally just as much, if not more, than actual bodily trauma.
So, should আপনি choose “love”, because it is the lesser of two evils? Well, I certainly do not think so. As I get older and accumulate আরো knowledge and experience, I realize আরো how little control I have over life in general. Maybe আপনি did not have a good childhood, perhaps people have done horrible things to you, natural disasters occur, and now আপনি are helpless.
Please realize that the only thing আপনি have under your control is how আপনি feel and how আপনি will react to external events. Unless আপনি have a psychiatric illness, আপনি can choose to “love” অথবা আপনি can choose to “hate.” None of us lives forever. Do আপনি want to wait until you’re lying on your deathbed before আপনি think “maybe I should have been nicer to this person অথবা to that person?” অথবা do আপনি want to evaluate every দিন of your life whether আপনি have contributed in some way some প্রণয় to the world that day? I offer আপনি my humble opinion that “Love is THE answer – every দিন of the year!”
