Your Wounds Are Sad to Behold

There is a scene in Charlotte Bronte’s famous volume, “Jane Eyre,” (and the dozens of movies which have been filmed, based on that novel) in which the heroine of the movie, Jane, may be seen speaking to her former employer, Mr. Rochester. The latter of the two has, since they last met, been badly burned in a fire.

And Jane comforts him with the words,

“Mr. Rochester, your wounds are sad to behold, but you

… are not your wounds.”

Of course, we as human beings are prone to carry around physical and emotional wounds, but “Miss Eyre’s” implication went far beyond the physical and emotional.

What she meant to convey, in words common to you and me is,

“While your wounded-ness may be altogether easy to see, your wounds need not characterize who you are.”

Every one of us have sometimes been tossed around by the figurative, and literal waves of life. And as a counselor I have been exposed to some of the most heinous stories from a myriad of men, women and children.

And granted, I think the theory is often weightier than the reality; in terms of embracing and absorbing the truth of Jane’s words.

Nonetheless, I believe it can be done.

… But we must begin.


By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 15. Copyright Volumes 1-15.

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