Fellowship

"For those who have suffered, tolerance is not a political position or even a principle.  For those of us who have suffered, who have hauled ourselves into the sun, anything exhausted beside us is family."

- Mark Nepo

Mark Nepo, one of my favorite authors, speaks to the comfort and fellowship of recovery and healing.  Knowing we are not alone is comforting.  Knowing we are not the only one is healing.  In therapy, in recovery meetings, in healing circles we listen to others tell our story.  There is a universality to health and healing.  When we risk being authentic and vulnerable, we find that others have been down a very similar courageous path.

"We have not even to risk the adventure alone

for the heroes of all time have gone before us.

The labyrinth is thoroughly known...

we have only to follow the thread of the hero path.

And where we had thought to find an abomination

we shall find a God.

And where we had thought to slay another

we shall slay ourselves.

Where we had thought to travel outwards

we shall come to the center of our own existence.

And where we had thought to be alone

we shall be with all the world."

- Joseph Campbell