The transformative effects of illness

In "The Soft Core" Arturo Vivante examines the bonds between a middle-aged son and his aging father. Years of habit that had solidified into accustomed but uncomfortable ways of behaving and interacting with each other are altered when the father's stroke evokes a tumultuous range of emotions in the son, leading him, in the end, to feel compassion, not just for his father but also for himself. Vivante shows the reader that illness has the ability to transform an individual who is willing to reexamine and reevaluate the meaning he or she gives to life. This process, however, is not an easy one, as it is often undertaken as in the story, when the individual fears the death of self or of a loved one. The suffering, though, can transform. The self-awareness gained leads to a more gentler way of being, and compassion results. This compassion is borne of understanding, recognition, and appreciation that the frailties of human nature exist in each of us. Recognizing and applying this to all manner of relationships in our lives is the wisdom that compassion gives to our existence.