Fragile
Today I felt fragile. Now there's a word that does not fly off my fingers easily or often.
Today I feel fragile. After Thursday night's asthma attack where my lungs are burning, I can't catch my breath and (being over 50 and a woman), don't hold my water well when I embark on a series of coughs that shake my body and make my throat raw. This really started earlier in the week when all the trees in upper New Jersey and Lower New York decided to spring into action, basting my car, the ground the steps and the air with petals and a sheet of yellow-green pollen. ARRRRGGGGGG. In my youth I had 'hay fever' that came in mid/late August when the goldenrod let go of its precious cargo to the four winds.......
These days I get these spring and fall.... plus mild pneumonia after the holidays.
Oh, OK..... It's pollen, it's stress, it's aging and it's turning into one of my most recurrant reminders of Sept.11,2001. I used to sing... sing pretty well. now I need to catch my breath periodically and my register has fallen so far that when I sing hymns in the congregation next to men, they try to sing lower.... and not many of them do it comfortably.
From a spiritual standpoint, it's good to experience the vulnerability of fragility from time to time. It gives us just a peek into a world of the disabled and chronically or terminally ill. It is a fear-full experience when you just cannot get your breath, or cough so hard and repeatedly that you begin to vomit. It is then, when you have taken your meds, gotten your breath back, can swallow that it crosses your mind------ there are thousands, millions of people who can't do that much. So sick they can only lie in their own fluids, hoping to die; some of their number are a segment of the people that benefit from our endeavours for Episcopal Relief and Development.
If you have ever had one of those breathtaking fragile moments, don't forget them. Put them into recall. In that way, when you are recovered and see someone struggling, you ask respectfully whether you can help them stand or sit or lean on you or clean their bed or wash their clothes or grocery shop or just leave a message on the voice mail saying you are praying for their recovery. You may never have ever been or will be as fragile as they,,,,yet we all, as the body of Christ have the honor of doing unto others.....our brothers and sisters......... and when we do that, the united body of Christ grows strong and can give thanks for the love of God that girds our being. He, our Rock and our Salvation.
I will miss Eugenia Wilson's ordination as a deacon tomorrow and a wonderful picnic @ Fr. Buddy's - and a shower on Sunday..... but, God willing, by Monday I will be less fragile and go back into the world serving again, perhaps with more kindness, more compassion, more sensitivity to their true needs, within or without. Scripture says give thanks in all things. Thank you for this temporary body, thank you for it's weaknesses. They help me show kindness to the weak whenever I can. Respectuflly through Your will, grace and strength alone. Amen and Amen.
Today I feel fragile. After Thursday night's asthma attack where my lungs are burning, I can't catch my breath and (being over 50 and a woman), don't hold my water well when I embark on a series of coughs that shake my body and make my throat raw. This really started earlier in the week when all the trees in upper New Jersey and Lower New York decided to spring into action, basting my car, the ground the steps and the air with petals and a sheet of yellow-green pollen. ARRRRGGGGGG. In my youth I had 'hay fever' that came in mid/late August when the goldenrod let go of its precious cargo to the four winds.......
These days I get these spring and fall.... plus mild pneumonia after the holidays.
Oh, OK..... It's pollen, it's stress, it's aging and it's turning into one of my most recurrant reminders of Sept.11,2001. I used to sing... sing pretty well. now I need to catch my breath periodically and my register has fallen so far that when I sing hymns in the congregation next to men, they try to sing lower.... and not many of them do it comfortably.
From a spiritual standpoint, it's good to experience the vulnerability of fragility from time to time. It gives us just a peek into a world of the disabled and chronically or terminally ill. It is a fear-full experience when you just cannot get your breath, or cough so hard and repeatedly that you begin to vomit. It is then, when you have taken your meds, gotten your breath back, can swallow that it crosses your mind------ there are thousands, millions of people who can't do that much. So sick they can only lie in their own fluids, hoping to die; some of their number are a segment of the people that benefit from our endeavours for Episcopal Relief and Development.
If you have ever had one of those breathtaking fragile moments, don't forget them. Put them into recall. In that way, when you are recovered and see someone struggling, you ask respectfully whether you can help them stand or sit or lean on you or clean their bed or wash their clothes or grocery shop or just leave a message on the voice mail saying you are praying for their recovery. You may never have ever been or will be as fragile as they,,,,yet we all, as the body of Christ have the honor of doing unto others.....our brothers and sisters......... and when we do that, the united body of Christ grows strong and can give thanks for the love of God that girds our being. He, our Rock and our Salvation.
I will miss Eugenia Wilson's ordination as a deacon tomorrow and a wonderful picnic @ Fr. Buddy's - and a shower on Sunday..... but, God willing, by Monday I will be less fragile and go back into the world serving again, perhaps with more kindness, more compassion, more sensitivity to their true needs, within or without. Scripture says give thanks in all things. Thank you for this temporary body, thank you for it's weaknesses. They help me show kindness to the weak whenever I can. Respectuflly through Your will, grace and strength alone. Amen and Amen.
posted by Joanna Depue | 3:30 AM
1 Comments:
Be gentle with your fragile self... prayers of healing and strength to you this day and all days.
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