It's not about curing the disease, but healing the life; then the physical benefits come.
I was called a 'CD' by a suicidal teenager, who is alive today because I became her 'Chosen Dad,' who loved her. We all have the potential to re-parent ourselves and others.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the transformative power of love and support in healing oneself and others.
In this quote, Bernie Siegel speaks about the significant impact of being a guiding and supportive figure in someone’s life, especially during their darkest moments. By stepping into the role of a 'Chosen Dad' for a suicidal teenager, Siegel highlights the concept of re-parenting, where individuals can offer love and nurturing not only to others but also to themselves as a way to foster healing and growth. This message reinforces the idea that relationships and our capacity to care for one another can lead to profound changes in life and mental well-being.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a mental health seminar, to highlight the importance of support systems.
More from Bernie Siegel
All quotes →Diseases can be our spiritual flat tires - disruptions in our lives that seem to be disasters at the time but end by redirecting our lives in a meaningful way.
It is astounding how much the immune system is strengthened by reducing daily mental stress levels with either visualization or meditation. The other great tonic for the immune system is love—loving ourselves as well as others.
I truly feel the best doctors are ones who are criticized by nurses, patients and family. They do not make excuses and learn from their mistakes.
Part of my evolution has been to learn how painful most people's childhoods are. They grow up not liking themselves, not loving themselves. Ask people if they were lovable the minute they were born, and watch them sit back and have to think about it. One lady said, 'I suppose so.' That's painful.
Being a survivor doesn't mean being strong - it's telling people when you need a meal or a ride, company, whatever. It's paying attention to heart wisdom, feelings, not living a role, but having a unique, authentic life, having something to contribute, finding time to love and laugh. All these things are qualities of survivors.
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The way you start to break down systemic racism is to start building individual relationships with people who are not like you.
We have found that it is easier for men to die together on the field of battle than it is for them to live together at home in peace.
Our failings sometimes bind us to one another as closely as could virtue itself.
There are three ways you can get along with a girl: one, shut up and listen to what she has to say; two, tell her you like what she's wearing; and three, treat her to really good food...If you do all that and still don't get the results you want, better give up.
After departure, only invisible things are left, perhaps the life of the world is held together by invisible chains of memory and loss and love. So many things, so many people, depart! And we can only repossess them in our minds.