Catch

An important person in my life has said this about his cancer experience:

I wouldn’t wish cancer on my worst enemy, but what I do wish is that everyone had the opportunity to experience what it feels like to have your community catch you.

A friend of mine is a student, and as part of an assignment, she needed to interview people about a crisis moment in their lives. I participated and talked about an experience I had more than 15 years ago. I was in a very serious skiing accident — so much so, that I barely have memories of the day. I have no visual recollections, only a couple of moments when I heard people’s voices around me.

On that day, I had an experience of my community catching me. There was a group of friends who rallied and took care of my body. I never had to ask; I never even had a chance to remember. But I was told, and as I shared yesterday, I discovered that I was surrounded by people who loved me thoroughly.

I wouldn’t wish that experience on my worst enemy either, but I, too, wish that everyone had the opportunity to experience what it feels like to have your community catch you.

Do you have a moment like that? What comes to mind? If you recall it to mind and heart, how might that impact the ways your body feels today?

—Renee Roederer