Overcoming vs. Victimization

Have you ever thought you had problems and then realized that your life is nothing but one blessing right after another? I had one of those experiences last night at work. I was tired, and frustrated because I tend to over schedule myself into exhaustion...So here I sit at the nurses station at approximately 2:15AM staring at a HUGE pile of paperwork when one of my male residents walks up and wants to talk. I am thinking, GO TO BED!!! Don't you see I have work to do? And then we begin to talk...

This man tells me his story: (Bear with me as some details are confidential) At the age of 3 he was raped by his cousin. At 10 he was raped again resulting in conceiving a baby. Some where around age 4-5 he was placed in foster care and then into group homes and has lived in some sort of institution the rest of his life. His mother is dead, his sister was killed in an accident, he has been told that the father he never knew is also dead. He is a ward of the state. He is also off the charts on the IQ test. He cannot read yet he figures simple algebra in calculus form because that's how his mind processes things! He admits to moments of physical aggression and anger but blames it not on what has happened to him yet on the fact that he doesn't have life skills.

His diagnoses range from some serious cardiac issues, borderline personality and mild mental retardation. What I deal with mostly with this resident is his lack of personal boundaries understanding, he tends to make people uncomfortable because he is always "up in their business".

After talking to him for a while I want to hug him, feel sorry for him...but then he says: This might sound weird but I'm actually not sorry that I have had to face these things because it helps me understand and love people who REALLY have problems! This man has chosen to not to become a victim but to survive and is working on overcoming. He talks about how God has control of our situations and while God would never choose for us to be harmed but that it all some how fits into His plan. We talked about how Satan makes sin look so beautiful and that we must always be on our guard. I don't know what the state of his soul is but I think He has a better understanding about how to love the "unlovable" than alot of Christians do.

I learned a lot last night at work and the paperwork somehow got done too!