LiteratureSuffering

The Benefit of Living in the World as a Cripple

From Andre Dubus’ essay “A Woman In April”, which can be found in the Broken […]

David Zahl / 4.12.11

From Andre Dubus’ essay “A Woman In April”, which can be found in the Broken Vessels collection. Dubus, as you may know, was hit by a car in 1986 while trying to assist a couple on the side of the road, and lost the use of both of his legs, ht MS:

“Living in the world as a cripple allows you to see more clearly the crippled hearts of some people whose bodies are whole and sound. All of us, from time to time, suffer this crippling. Some suffer it daily and nightly; and while most of us, nearly all of us, have compassion and love in our hearts, we cannot or will not see these barely visible wound of other human beings, and so cannot or will not pick up the telephone or travel to someone’s home or writer a note or make some other seemingly trifling gesture to give someone what only we, and God, can give: an hour’s respite, or a day’s, or a night’s; and sometimes more than respite: sometimes joy.”

Sign up for the Mockingbird Newsletter

• Email

Δ

COMMENTS