Although this work is written from a Christian viewpoint, it also presents the symbolic visions of the non-believer. The symbolic examination of God helps us to uncover what it means to be human, and where we are heading as a species. Symbols aid in conveying the abstract ideas that human languages are too limited to express. In the broadest sense, God symbolizes all the mysteries of existence. Any thinking person must ask the question, 'what is the ultimate significance of this frail and vulnerable flesh that clothes the human ego?' God symbolizes these important mysteries and beckons us to approach him for answers.

Everything we learn comes to us through the senses. We interpret the books we read, the speeches and sermons we have heard, and so on. Over the years, we put these things together along with our personal experiences of daily living. Somehow, we integrate all of this sensory input and arrive at an outlook on life. Along the way we may decide whether or not our time here on earth has any meaning. In interpreting the facts of life, many of us tend to do so piecemeal, filtering out certain memories, perhaps even pleasurable ones, if they seem unimportant. However, the more one tries to recall childhood memories, the more they come to the forefront. In The Wisdom of the Body, John M. Shackleford reflects upon his childhood experiences and thoughtfully relates them to his sixty years in a wheelchair. He hopes that his determination to overcome the many difficulties of a paralyzed man-while at the same time pursuing a professional career-will inspire others to master their personal obstacles and become useful members of the human family.