Title: Peacemaker

Gender: Female

Age: 51

Location: Denver, Colorado

I am a graduate student at The Iliff School of Theology studying towards becoming a hospital chaplain.  I feel my strongest purpose in life is to provide, and advocate for, the quality care of persons with psychiatric illnesses.

One of my favorite Broadway shows, Man of La Mancha, has a soliloquy that has influenced my philosophy of a life-view.  It speaks as follows:

“Life as it is.  I have lived for over forty years and I have seen life as it is – pain, misery, cruelty beyond belief.  I've heard all the voices of God's noblest creature – moans coming from bundles of filth in the street.   I've been a soldier and a slave.  I've seen my comrades fall in battle or die more slowly under the lash in Africa.  I've held them in my arms in the final moment.  These were men who saw life as it is, yet they died despairing – no glory, no brave last words – only their eyes filled with confusion questioning, 'Why?'  I do not think they were asking why they were dying but why they had ever lived.  When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?  Perhaps to be too practical is madness, to search for treasure where there is only trash – this may be madness, to surrender dreams, too much sanity may be madness – and maddest of all is to life as it is and not as it SHOULD BE!”

Member Since: Saturday, January 26 2008

Last Visit: 13 days ago.

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