In Graham Greene's, "A Burnt-Out Case," about an internationally renowned architect, who was considered by his peers one of the greatest architects in the world, finds life tasteless, meaningless.
In his search for meaning and purpose, he turns his life away from family, fortunate all else and goes to Africa where he settles in a Dominican monastery where lepers are cared for. There he discovers that when people are stricken with leprosy, there is a time when wild burning consumes that portion of their bodies that will be afflicted. Then as suddenly as the burning begins, it stops. It burns itself out. The nervous system is gone and there is no longer any feeling, any smell, any sight. For the rest of their lives, these mutilated bodies go on without pain. The monks refer to them as the "burned out."
It is better to feel than be anesthetized to life.
In his search for meaning and purpose, he turns his life away from family, fortunate all else and goes to Africa where he settles in a Dominican monastery where lepers are cared for. There he discovers that when people are stricken with leprosy, there is a time when wild burning consumes that portion of their bodies that will be afflicted. Then as suddenly as the burning begins, it stops. It burns itself out. The nervous system is gone and there is no longer any feeling, any smell, any sight. For the rest of their lives, these mutilated bodies go on without pain. The monks refer to them as the "burned out."
It is better to feel than be anesthetized to life.
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