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Healer's Dilemma
A child, the child of my heart, though never of my name,
Who shares my Gift; whose eyes, though young, are mine- the very same
Who shares my every thought, whose skillful hands I taught so well
Now hear the hardest lesson I shall ever have to tell.
Young Healer, I have taught you all I know of wounds and pain-
Of illnesses, and all the herbs of blessing and of bane-
Of all the usage of all your Gift; all that I could impart-
And how you learned, young Healer, put rejoicing to my heart.
But there is yet one lessoning I cannot give to you
For you must find your own way there- judge what is sound and true
This lesson is the cruelest ever Healer had to teach-
It is- what you must do when there are those you cannot reach.
However great your Gift there will be times when you will fail
There will be those you cannot help, your skill cannot prevail.
When you fight Death, and loose to Him, or what might yet be worse
You win- to find the wreak He left regards you with a curse.
And worst of all, and harder still, the times when it's a friend
Who looks to you to bring him peace and make his torment end-
What will you do, young Healer, when there's nothing you can do?
I can give only council, for the rest is up to you.
This only will I council you; that if you build a shell
Of armor close about you, then you close yourself in Hell.
And of your heart should harden, then you Gift will fade and die
And all that you have lived and learned will then become a lie.
As you must, I have faced the fear, the pain in dying eyes
Sometimes I have told the truth, and sometimes gentle lies
As you will I have faced the times my skill brings no redress
And wonder if my gift was truly meant to curse or bless.
My child, your Healing hands are guided by your Healing heart
And this is all the wisdom all my learning can impart.
You take this pain upon you as you challenge life unknown-
And there can be no answer here but one- and that's your own.
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