The Spirituality Corner, located at the Levit Learning Center in the Ambulatory Care Building is featuring a new addition to its library, entitled: Why Not Me? Oh God Why Me?, written by M. D. Anderson Cancer Center cancer patient survivor, Sue Teall. In coming to terms with her diagnosis, she accepts that she is not sheilded from illness - hence the first part of the title, "Why not me?" The second part of the title, "Oh God Why Me?" is her response that signifies receiving the good news concerning the success of her treatment and her wonderment as to why she has received good news when so many others do not. Teall includes vignettes that offer insights into a number of life's issues, including: the power of prayer, God's tapestries of life, the unfairness of life; joy amid the struggles, obedience and self-doubt, and other topics. This is very much a story of cancer survivorship and should resonate with many of our readers.

A new book in the Mays Clinic Learning Center
A Journal for Lalie - Living Through Prostate Cancer
Plum Lick Publishing, 2008
Written by David Dick, author and MD Anderson patient

Mr. Dick writes eloquently and frankly about the issues facing men with prostate cancer. Although it is in the form of a journal, it reads like a love story. One man's story about his love for life, love for writing, and love for his wife. While the subject is serious, his musings about the important things in life are far from morbid - they are inspiring and comforting.

Signed by the author and dedicated to the patients and caregivers at MD Anderson

Prayers for Healing: 365 Blessings, Poems, and Meditations From Around the World. edited by Maggie Oman. c1999.

The goal of this collection is to foster healing by gathering together inspirational writings from a wide variety of different traditions and historical periods. The collection is organized according to seasons in "the hope that being mindful of nature's cycles will foster healing." Some of the selections are anonymous while others have a religious identification which ranges from Christian Psalms to Zen chants to The Upanishads. In addition, there are a large number of selections by religious and literary authors, such as St. Bernadette, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Lao-Tsu and Rabbi Harold Kushner. Plus, there are many beautiful and inspirational pieces by little known authors. The editor hopes that every reader will find at least one prayer that "will resonate deeply within them".

Angels. Jane Williams. c2006

This is a beautifully illustrated engaging book. It discusses the appearance, purpose and relevance of angels as they appear in Jewish and Christian scripture. It also touches on literature (for ex. Milton, John Henry Newman and C.S. Lewis) and art and how these traditions or depictions of angels do or do not relate back to scripture. The tone of the book is relaxed and conversational. In one place, it is almost humorous, in the author's description of a biblical story about a donkey seeing an angel when its master could not. Topics range from "What do angels look like?" to "Angels and Jesus" and "Angels and God". Although written by a theologian, and including a few passages of scripture, this is not an academic book. Rather, it is a refreshing tour through angels in scripture and their possible relevance to our everyday world.

We have 2 new books in the Spirituality Corner of the Mays Clinic Learning Center

Broken Body, Healing Spirit: Lectio Divina and Living with Illness
by Mary C. Earle, ordained Episcopal minister and writer.

Practical and simple spiritual exercises for "living through," not just surviving illness using God's word for direction. The book is signed by the author especially for MD Anderson patients and caregivers.

Why Not Me? Oh God, Why me?
by Sue Teall, MD Anderson patient and writer.

Given to the library by the author, she shares the joys and sorrows of her journey through cancer with honesty and inspiring faith.

What happens when the professional caregiver is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease? This is precisely what happened to chaplain Debra Jarvis. Jarvis has written a realistic story of cancer survivorship that is refreshing, inspiring, and informative. Debra Jarvis is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. She has worked as a hospice spiritual counselor and currently serves as a general oncologist chaplain for the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. She is a commentator for National Public radio and frequently speaks at conferences and workshops on caner, death and dying, medical staff care, and spirituality.

I found her book to be authentic and engaging. It is worthwhile reading for those who are survivors as well as caregivers. She reflects: "I learned much about cancer from being a patient, and probably the most astounding thing to discover was only a small part of the cancer experience is about medicine. Most of it is about feelings and faith, and losing and finding your identity, and discovering strength and flexibility you never knew you had. It's also about looking at life and staring death in the eye. It's about realizing the most valuable things in life are not things at all, but relationships." These words are reflected in the title of her book, to remind caregivers that cancer is a mixture of curse and blessing - and the blessings are experienced as gifts that are not often apparent to the naked eye of the observer.

The author uses her personal journal, shared from the moment she received the news of her demise, and expands upon her entries to paint a vivid picture of her life as a cancer patient, including excerpts describing her interactions with those around her. She is real about the personal and social dilemmas faced when having to ask for help. She wrestles with her faith, seeking assurance from the Almighty when she faces a deep sense of powerlessness. Her writing style includes an internal dialogue which she places on the pages in order to engage and the reader to enter the drama for the sake of learning and finding inspiration.

Having been employed as a chaplain in a large metropolitan hospital, I found many aspects of Jarvis's journey to be universal in the sense that I have heard those common themes associated with the cancer journey to be reflected in so many patient and caregiver stories. Jarvis has a way of giving those themes life and substance, depth, and color which portray the rich basic elemental aspects of human life, when disease threatens to annihilate one's existence. I recommend It's Not About The Hair to those who are seeking strength and encouragement when life's journey includes an encounter with cancer.

Reviewer: Rev. David Jenkins

Back in April 2006, I recommended a devotion entitled "Disrupted" by Rev. Dr. Virgil Fry. Dr. Fry has just published a companion book, entitled: "Rekindled, Warmed by Fires of Hope". Once again, Virgil has used his considerable experience as a chaplain and writer to create another rich devotional resource, drawing upon scriptures, wisdom sayings, and personal experience in the pastoral care ministry. The prayers he includes are real, and express the deepest spiritual longings of the heart.