By KEITH WOMMACK — “You don’t need a medical degree to say, ‘I love you,’” writes Pamela Wible, MD, in an article at KevinMD.com. “Just three simple words can heal more wounds than all the doctors in the world.”
Studies show that love heals physical wounds and reduces stress. Researchers are also looking into whether love improves the immune system. I believe they will find love to be a medicine for every ill.
With all the health benefits of love, shouldn’t we be offering others a loving word or thought? It took an incident and a ton of dirt on a hot Texas afternoon before I considered saying, “I love you,” to complete strangers.
When we lived in Houston, my wife and I drove 45 minutes, each way, so that our two boys could attend a private kindergarten and first grade.
One sweltering, 100° day, when returning home with the boys, a dump truck in front of my car lost control and its entire load of dirt spilled onto the road in front of us.
I was already hot and tired, and because of the delay we faced, I immediately felt angry and frustrated.
At that moment, I realized I could grumble and complain, or I could try something different. Delays like this happened in Houston all the time, and if I was to experience more harmonious commutes, I needed to adjust my attitude.
The “different” involved three simple words. As we slowly made our way around the accident, it came to me to silently say, “I love you,” to everyone I saw. This was not going to be easy while driving the busy freeways and streets of Houston.
At first, I was just mouthing words each time I looked at another driver, a passenger in a vehicle, or someone walking out of a store. However, within a short period of time, the words began to mean something. I exchanged tossing out stale I love you’s for heartfelt statements.
Fifteen minutes after we’d maneuvered around the truck and dirt, the anger and frustration faded. I was conscious of a wonderful peace and joy as my attempts at loving others turned into meaningful moments.
The unique and divine individuality of every one I saw became real to me. Loving them calmed me down, woke me up, and inspired me. I had tapped into something special. I felt a solid and lovely order and goodness to everything and everyone.
The awareness of this divine order and goodness has remained an essential element in my Christian Science healing practice ever since. The less I think about myself, the more I’m able to remain conscious of this spiritual harmony and help others express dominion over their thoughts and bodies. For example:
Recently, a woman called me. She was frantic and she wanted prayerful help.
She told me that she was feeling cold and had covered herself with a light blanket, but had begun shaking uncontrollably. She’d never experienced this before.
The woman also told me that a thumb and forefinger had been twitching for three years. The slight movements had never interfered with her daily activities.
A month earlier she had gone to a family doctor. When the doctor noticed that her thumb and forefinger were twitching, he asked her how long she had been experiencing the twitching. When she answered, “three years,” the doctor promptly told her she had Parkinson’s disease.
After the woman called, I prayed. Just as I did the day the dump truck overturned, I quickly embraced her with a loving sense I knew to be divine. This type of spiritual acknowledgment is a prayerful healing treatment. I knew she was finding relief.
Within fifteen minutes after we had talked, the woman’s shaking subdued and then stopped. But not only did the uncontrollable shaking stop, the twitching of the thumb and forefinger stopped, as well. She hasn’t experienced twitching or shaking since.
Since studies are showing a connection between love and health, why not take this information to a logical conclusion. I know that love healed this woman, a love more powerful than human affection. Love and health are inseparable because they are, ultimately, spiritual qualities and conditions.
And just in case you were wondering how three simple words can heal more wounds than all the doctors in the world, the answer could reside in another three words: God is love.
– Keith Wommack is a Syndicated Columnist, Christian Science practitioner and teacher, husband, and step-dad. He has been described as a spiritual spur (since every horse needs a little nudge now and then). Keith’s columns originate at: KeithWommack.com