wow. WOW. I saw "Born without a Face" last night, and it has haunted me all day. When it started I almost turned it off because it was too disturbing, but I kept watching because I wanted to see her "fixed" after the surgery. I'm big on denial. The thoughts that ran through my head were horrible - I wanted her brain to be compromised so she wouldn't be aware of her circumstances, but her brain is perfect. She's a very bright child, and a happy child. I was actually glad that she coudn't hear so she wouldn't have to listen to people gasp and whisper, or worse, tease. But her parents had mechanical ears made for her. I thought about my earlier post, "If God gives according to what you can handle...", and I thought I could never handle that. But I think I was wrong, I would do whatever needed to be done. If I had to handle it, I would, with love. And wow do her parents love her. What an amazing family.

And then there was the image I could not let go. A 2 year old girl in a doctor's office, she can't frown because she has no mouth and she can't cry because she has no tear ducts. But her chest heaving with the mild convulsions of a child afraid of a needle is universal, and at that moment she became mine. And when she reached out for her father's comforting hug, his arms were mine.