Life on the Edge

If people are having a sense of deja vu looking at the above photo, they are correct in their assumption that they have seen those hands before. Just over a year ago (18 August 2003) I wrote a blog entry entitled "Holding the Vision" and used this photo. I am including it again for three reasons. Firstly, today is the first day that my fingers can type comfortably. Last Friday while swimming in relatively calm waters I pulled a shoulder muscle and lived with a high level of discomfort until I could get to Hobart to see a physio-therapist on Wednesday. And not one but two. Tethys did some osteopathic work that helped tremendously in relieving the chronic pain. Then Michael, my masseur for the past 19 years, did some deep tissue work that complimented Tethy's earlier work. Their hands were healing hands for my neck and shoulder and I am tremendously grateful for the skills these two people possess. Secondly, during the nights preceding the visit to Hobart, sleeping was nigh impossible. (Let me admit to doing some self inflicted injury by thinking a hot water bottle on the shoulder would help relieve the pain, whereas, the correct thing to do would have been to put an ice pack on the strain. I only made things worse.) Anyway, during those nights I would question whether or not I would ever again have the ability to use my hands to carve in the way I am used to carving. This nightmarish fear in the dark space of night was quite scary. Only now, as the future outlook seems not to be a surgical one, rather a management one, can I marvel at the beautiful complexity (and fragility) that is our body. How astoundingly wonderful are just our hands. And thirdly, while pondering what photo to use for this week's blog entry, I received an email from the Trinity Respite Center that read in part: "We are a rural, non-profit program that takes care of seniors with Alzheimer's. We loved the image of "Holding a Vision," and wanted to check to see about using this image for a publication..." When I wrote back agreeing, I also asked where in this internet world they existed and how did they come by this photo. The reply (in part): "We are located in Ashland, Oregon and serve families living with memory loss. We hit "images" in Google and then "hands" and Voila! Clip art! We have a day activities program for 22 seniors with Alzheimer's, stroke or related dementias. Your photo will be the front of a card we are using to hold the vision for compassionate care for our seniors. One man here claps when he is happy--often--and his hands are strangely beautiful. It is inspiring to know that people like you are out there. Your sense of service makes it possible for us to get out our mailing without more angst over the image. You must be a lovely person." Makes my pain very bearable indeed.