THE INTERRUPTED LIFE VII – NEVER ALONE by Eleanor Shepherd

        

           In 1974, at age 18, Karen was enjoying her summer working at a camp on the shores of Lake Simcoe. During a free afternoon, she and a friend were walking along the shore road and musing about the exciting future ahead; as she anticipated her university studies to become a social worker.

            It had been a good school year and her achievement that resulted in a Gold Medal helped to justify the scholarships she was offered from three different universities. She opted for Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, lured by the possibility of a lower professor/student ratio than at a larger institution. In addition her favourite author Margaret Laurence was the writer-in-residence there and she hoped to be inspired by her to pursue writing later on. 

            Her plans and dreams were instantly shattered when a drunken driver swerved around a curve and slid off the road and into the girls, tossing Karen over a five-foot fence into a telephone pole. When she landed, her neck was broken and she would never again walk or be able to use her hands, as she became paralyzed from the chest down. 

            Over the next year, Karen strived to begin to build a new life, with the limited capacity that she was discovering was hers. She was never fully informed of the consequences of her paralysis. That was something she learned through experience. With help from family and friends, over time, some of her dreams could be realized, although in a different way than she had imagined. Others were relegated to the scrap heap of her accident, untouched and even unmourned for six and a half years. Survival became her way of life from day to day as she learned to live with quadriplegia. 

            It is at such times, that those of us who have been raised in the church face a significant choice. We can choose to conclude that God has abandoned us or brought this on us and turn our back on Him and rely upon our own resources. Conversely, we can choose to believe that He alone can help us manage our incredibly challenging situation. Karen took that option. She explains it this way:

            “I was praying desperately to God one night about my situation when all of a sudden I began to experience God’s Presence and peace with me in a way that I never had before. I felt that God was telling me everything was going to be okay and that He was taking care of my future, whatever it may hold. I realized that my relationship with Christ previously was superficial, and that I had fooled myself into believing that I could control my own life and future. I told God that I would turn everything over to Him and allow Him to control and direct my life from here on in. That was the moment that I felt this tremendous sense of peace despite the fact that my life seemed to be over forever.”

            Karen was not immediately healed. In fact, she was not physically healed at all and even suffered additional physical problems through the years, which finally left her unable to eat. She proved her faith over the long haul by living life generously for 45 years, while battling to confront with courage her paralysis and other signficant medical challenges as well as spiritual obstacles. She was aware that she was never alone in facing them. 

            Karen needed to take ten years to complete an Honours BA in English Literature and Sociology and her Master of Social Work degree. Among the many practical obstacles she encountered were confinement to bed for many months because of pressure sores and confronting a Dean in the Faculty of Social Work who opposed her admission into the program. 

            There were also times when she was ambushed by spiritual challenges. Many times well-meaning people would tell her that if she had enough faith, she would be healed of her paralysis. Such comments caused discouragement and aroused in Karen suspicion and fear that she might not even have enough faith to make it as a Christian. One day, the Lord reminded her through the words of Scripture from II Corinthians 12: 9 that His grace is sufficient for our weakness. These words provided the assurance that she needed. 

            I met Karen and heard her share her story, many years before that story became significant in the life of our family, with the accident of our son, John who also became a quadriplegic. It is from my current perspective that I am able to appreciate what a hero she was. 

            

I was saddened a few weeks ago when I learned that Karen has now gone home to heaven. This world needs people like her who are able to see what really matters and to give to others when they have lost so much. I mourn for us, but I rejoice for her, because she is now totally fulfilled in the presence of the One who accompanied her along the whole journey.

Word Guild Award
2009

Word Guild Award
2011

Word Guild Award
2018

Eleanor Shepherd from Pointe Claire, Quebec has more than one hundred articles published in Canada, France, the U.S.A., Belgium, Switzerland and New Zealand. Thirty years with The Salvation Army in Canada and France including ministry in Africa, Europe, Haiti and the Caribbean furnished material for her award-winning book, More Questions than Answers, Sharing Faith by Listening. Other award winning stories appear in the booksHot Apple Cider andChristmas with Hot Apple Cider. She co-authored with her husband Glen the Bible Study book Why? Families. As well as writing, she conducts workshops on listening skills and prayer. Eleanor recently retired from being the pastor of an English speaking congregation in Montreal with The Salvaton Army. She is currently pursuing studies to become a Prayer Companion. Eleanor and Glen have two adult children: John who is pursuing a PhD in Rehabilitation Therapy in Toronto and Elizabeth who is a professional musican, nominated for Juno awards for her last four jazz albums.