Personification of the Heart

Lillian F. Bernhagen, MA, RN, HC

I am Heart. I speak to you from the comfort and confinement of the very depths of my Human Being’s soul, which I carefully guard and nurture.  My home is very dark and warm and, while my surroundings are very protective of me, they do not interfere with the work I have to do. I am very hard working and, although I have no choice but to be vigilant in my responsibilities, I do them gladly. I think of myself as a wondrous, throbbing entity, made of cosmic stuff. I am a reproduction of the stars and carry within me much of their unsolved mystery. Although I delight in reflecting on my great individual power, I know I am an incredible, integral part of my Human Beings vast universe, dependent upon and affected by many other of its “constellations and stars.”  Sometimes my Human acts as if Brain was the dominant factor in our existence, but without my dependable service he could not function, and I, in turn, carefully follow his “wired” instructions.

I have many portals which lead to and from me.  My strong muscular walls are organized in a complicated pattern of whorls and spirals. I have four chambers, each with doors which carefully open and close to welcome the River of Life. Half of me relaxes momentarily, while the other half of me twists and squeezes to send that River flowing through miles and miles of conduits to its assigned molecular destination, only to return to me, once again to be pushed along its circuitous route. Sometimes I “wring” myself with great might, sometimes with a more relaxed effort, sometimes with such rapidity that I can hardly keep up with myself, all done in response to the needs of my Human Keeper.

As I give life, I work in synchrony with all my surroundings. I am so much more than a mechanical organ. No one truly understands my complexity. Scientists have tried to duplicate my mechanical structure and function, but they cannot give these copycats a soul. Occasionally there are times when outside “benefactors” try to control my routine activities with mechanical devices which sometimes are helpful, sometimes very displeasing to me. In most instances, I was born to know how to do my work in my own way and I resent interference which seems to be more harmful than helpful. I have a wisdom that cannot be duplicated.

I am a supersensitive being, responding (sometimes instantaneously and sometimes insidiously) to multitudes of stimuli which my Human sends my way. I absorb and am affected by all kinds of emotions: tenderness, compassion, gentleness, love, desire, passion, courage, fear, anger, gratitude, and forgiveness to name a few. I can be strengthened by gentle or vigorous exercise or I can be weakened by substances foreign to my nature. I jump for joy when I get pleasantly excited even to the point of feeling like I will leave my protective surroundings. I know there are times when I frighten my Human with my powerful pounding, especially after a round of “making love.”

I am at peace and content when my Human Keeper tells a dear one, “I love you with all my heart.”  It makes me feel warm and fuzzy in the closeness of the moment and I sing while I work.  I enjoy being treated with respect and weep silently if poor choices are made that affect my efficiency. I try to be valiant in the face of adversity and sometimes hunger for something, I know not what. These strange longings often cause me to ache or “break my heart.” How many times in my lifetime will I be broken? Too many, I would guess, for my health’s sake.

If I am given the care I deserve, chances are I will serve many years, maybe even a hundred or more. Eventually I will grow weary, my physical vitality will wane, but I will use every last ounce of my strength and wisdom to perform my “daily” tasks, to be of service to my Keeper until that last breath is drawn and my Creator/God says, “It is time.” I am the Alpha and Omega for my Human, but one day I will leave and return to the cosmos where I can become a true entity until I reincarnate with another Human being. Perhaps the wisdom I’ve gathered will help my next incarnate to live a longer, fuller, less tumultuous life. In the meantime, I shall dance among the stars and enjoy the mysteries of the cosmic dust as it sprinkles me with its glittering atomic particles.

Lillian F. Bernhagen RN, MA, HC, is a registered nurse, teacher certified health education specialist and Holistic Coach™.  She retired from Worthington City Schools as Director of Health Services after 25 years, has been a consultant, lecturer, published author and a pioneer in education for human sexuality, having written the first K through 12 curriculum guide for public and parochial schools.  She continues to do some consulting, teaching Holistic Health classes and writing both prose and poetry (a lifelong hobby.)  She is listed in several “Who’s Who” volumes, including Who’s Who in the World.