Wild or domesticated? Barbaric or civilized?

Let’s face it, in the face of extreme trauma, stress, or mental illness, even the most civilized person may appear utterly disheveled –physically, mentally, and spiritually.

I’ve seen people suffering from a deep sense of grief avoid washing their hair, avoid their friends, or even lash out in anger at those who try to comfort them.

I’ve seen people suffering from illnesses of the brain act in strange and unusual ways. During my time as a hospice chaplain, I entered the room of one particular older woman, who suffered from dementia. The moment I started to speak with her, she picked up a large cup of water from her tray and threw it at me with all of her might, dousing me with water and missing my head by an inch with the cup. I later learned that …