Resuscitation

While scrolling through my emails today, I came across an article with the word “resuscitation” in its text and immediately I became intrigued. Resuscitate, I could hear the term rolling around in my psyche, and although I was already familiar with the word, I quickly Googled it for a more general and stern clarification and understanding. This is the definition I found: “To resuscitate is to revive a person who has lost consciousness.” In essence, it is to assist with bringing someone back to life or consciousness after they have become a person who is no longer aware of themselves, surroundings, purpose, mind, body, and/or spirit.

In life there are times when we all have found ourselves in need of resuscitation. Times when it feels as though our very life force has been snuffed out by worry, stress, fear, anxiety, dissatisfaction, and/or persistent trials and tribulations that we are unable to overcome at the time? It may be what’s needed is a spiritual, mental, emotional, or physical resuscitation nevertheless; the necessity to regain consciousness is real and the basic requirement for survival. It is powerful to become aware of our needs, life’s purpose and mission, self-worth, or what is necessary to maintain an overall mental balance to the extent of which without it we can cease to exist in some form or another. And how instrumental is it that in order to be made whole again or recover awareness we must employ the assistance of those around us?

The beauty of this definition is that it conceptualizes that no one person can revive him/herself alone, yet it takes the work and efforts of others as well. This would require those of us in need of revitalization to become vulnerable with a willingness to express one’s own inner emotional, mental, spiritual, and/or physical needs at the time. For some, the very notion of “vulnerability” can catapult them to experience high levels of anxiety, uncertainty, and the fear of being emotionally exposed in some way; while others view vulnerability as a weakness and therefore, avoid it at all costs thus increasing the effects of suffocation. What is at the root of the fear of vulnerability? What keeps us from reaching out to our at times, life resuscitating connections when necessary?

At that moment, I asked myself, how often have I or those close to me expressed a need for resuscitation that went unmet because of life’s distractions, lack of trust, fear of emotional exposure, or others unwillingness to breath/speak life back into one another? Not to mention, how unacceptable yet, common this tragic practice of ignoring our fellow men/women in troubled times and/or times of need has become in this society. Have we decided NOT to see one another when it is most essential to the survival of the being in order to pay closer attention to our trivial pursuits of fleeting satisfaction? Are we so afraid to bare our vulnerability that we have we come to be so far removed from our humanity that we have resolved to experience life only through social media, television, youtube, and other disconnecting forms of pretend human connection? We all need to be resuscitated in the worst way; to be brought back to consciousness in order to regain awareness of the most valuable resource we have in this system . . . human life.

It is at this moment that I completely understand the true meaning of resuscitation. It is more than to simply extend my hand to those not just less fortunate but, also to those who are in need for any given reason, at any given time with life vivifying support. Now, do not misunderstand me as I am all too aware that there are those who have resolved to live without consciousness, connection, and/or purpose. Nevertheless, we reap our truest blessings when we are a blessing to others. As said best by Gandhi, we must “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

And that change begins with your own personal resuscitation. Become alive again with love and concern for your fellow man. Find your passion and share it with the world. Who you are and what you have to offer cannot be duplicated by anyone else, as you are the only individual supplied with your own unique set of gifts, talents, ability, and purpose. Be revived as you go forward in love and forgiveness acknowledging that we are all a part of the human experience and we can all make a difference! Live aware! Good journey!