29 August

Trauma & what it means

Three years ago, I fell badly on a tall ship which was racing its way from Denmark to Holland, and damaged myself to such a degree that it took over a year to recover and become mobile again.

Cut now to last Wednesday, and we suddenly found ourselves during Sail Amsterdam just 50m from the tall ship where my accident occurred, now moored as part of this huge celebration of Dutch marine history in our city.

At that moment, my wife and I parted company without a word - Annie spontaneously made for the ship (despite efforts by the stewards to stop her!), whereas I walked agitatedly in the opposite direction and took the next bus home.

What I realise now, rather too late, is that the trauma I suffered was in no way worse than my family’s, who all witnessed my accident and had mentally to rehabilitate themselves and to transform their own pain (in their own ways) after what they saw.

Marius’ words in his sermon on Jeremiah last Sunday - in particular that “pain not  transformed is transmitted “- awoke again this realisation in me that the pain we feel is by definition shared by those close to us,or even  by those whom we feel have caused that pain- and that God is always down there with us in the root of it, as well.

Maybe I will feel brave enough to get back on that tall ship when Sail30 finally arrives!

Giles Francis
(Member of the ERC congregation)