The Season of the Martyr

 

martyr - noun. someone who suffers (usually persecution and death) for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party (Wikipedia). 

December can be perceived as the season of the martyr in the actual but also metaphorical sense. Although historians agree that Jesus Christ, a prime example of self-sacrifice, was born in the spring, December 25th has been designated as his birthday, a.k.a. Christmas, a holiday that tends to motivate all, even unbelievers, either to take or to give or perhaps a little of both. Because most lean toward generosity, there are so many individuals and organizations representing charitable causes who advocate for them all at once, making it impossible for the ordinary income to fill all of their outreached hands. Even my agent, who funnels talent into safe houses, prisons, detention centers, nursing homes, etc. for the sake of pacifying the troubled through music, is asking musicians whom she remunerates to give back some of what she rewards to keep the programs afloat–although personally, if you have any common sense at all, you'd see that the tree she is barking up is not the right one at all.

But what about the person who is martyred authentically all year round on behalf of humanity?  The physician who won't cut back on his/her hours; the teacher who jumps over high hoops for her/his students and parents; the psychotherapist who must listen to, digest, and ameliorate emotional outbursts from his/her clients. Lately, the man who is in the position of holding my heart in his hands is the latter example. 

Just before Thanksgiving, I flew nearly 3,000 miles to spend six days with my beloved, respected martyr, who has chosen to be Christ-like professionally, who has chosen to put his own sanity on the line for the sake of others' psychological salvation. What did I learn from being by his side? I learned that you can't choose to go the distance in an altruistic occupation without the road rising up and hitting you in the face. "No good deed goes unpunished." Due to over twenty years of playing the role of therapist very, very well, he has endured subconscious damage (that haunts him via his dreams) on behalf of others, which he may or may not be aware of. Ultimately, to him, it doesn't matter one way or the other as his quest is immutable. Like Christ, he'll persist until the end as he is defined by the mission: to heal the scars of the mentally marred. 

At this time of year, it is important to recognize all of the givers of what cannot be bought, all of those martyrs who transcend the ordinary for unselfish reasons. Seasons come and go, yet like angels, these people persist. They aren't the biblical angels that are illuminated in white light, but the actual angels that blend into darkness. You might not be able to discern them readily, but you might thank God they are around if not for you personally, but for those in substantive need.  

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