Second Thought

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The New Yorker

From The New Yorker, April 23, 1990 [From an article about self-help groups]

"When these strangers gathered, something happened—some would call it a 'dynamic,' others 'grace'—that allowed them to speak truthfully from the depths of their hearts and also to be receptive to each other's truths, where in other circumstances they could not do either, and in this giving and taking, to begin to heal. What makes this possible and why it is healing remains the mystery and miracle of self-help groups...."

Editors' comment: Millions of people, many of whom have undergone difficult experiences and haven't found help elsewhere, turn to self-help groups.

Such lay groups often encourage the individual to discover his or her own inner resources for healing. Many people testify that, through sharing their experiences and hearing from others who are going through similar challenges, they have found some lifting of their burdens.

The self-help "dynamic" may vary from group to group, but perhaps one doesn't have to be a professional to sense that compassion, genuine sympathy, and unselfed love have something to do with the fact that many people feel strengthened by this. These qualities are not humanistic, but spiritual. Their strength, endurance, and power come from a divine source.

Compassion and love are not complex new therapeutic discoveries, but part of the age-old dynamic of Biblical healing. "Perfect love casteth out fear." "And Jesus ... was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick." It's no coincidence that those who follow his example of unconditional love experience the spiritual grace of healing.

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August 16, 1993

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