Today I was at the pool with my kids, sitting on the bench with my crutches beside me and reading my book. From time to time I would look up at my daughter, and my son was in a training session at the other end of the facility.
The young lifeguard came around a couple of times, before pausing to marvel at my daughter's confidence in and around water. We chatted briefly about that and then he came around a bit later, when my son had finished his session and joined his sister in play, so I could show him that both my water-born babies were similarly confident.
At this point he asked me what the crutches were for and I explained that my pelvis had packed it in with pregnancy. I told him I would normally be in the water but for my pelvis and that I'd had my final surf over the weekend. We talked more about surfing and I gave him some tips, as he'd tried a couple of times with no luck. He asked my name and he asked how long I'd been in the area and the conversation was easy and very friendly.
After he left for more rounds of the pools I picked up my book again, and put it down at intervals to keep an eye on the kids - mainly to make sure they weren't being overbearing for other kids in the water (which they normally aren't, but I didn't want to be accused of not caring should the unlikely scenario arise). The lifeguard came over again and asked if I was on any medication for my pelvis and I said I wasn't, telling him heat, rest and hydrotherapy were really working for me.
What happened next I couldn't have predicted. He tentatively asked if he could pray for me. I asked him to repeat it in case I had misheard, and also to buy some time to think of how to respond. It didn't take me long and I told him that if he thought it would help then that was fine. He asked me if I thought it would help and I answered that I didn't particularly believe it would, but that I didn't mind if he wished to pray for me.
Had I been anyone else he may have copped a spray for his approach. I don't believe he was 'grooming' me in any way and he didn't offer anything else, like a chance to come to his next bible study. You see, this is the kind of territory I left behind many moons ago, so it was not a case of two worlds colliding. I could also sense his sincerity and that he wanted to be constructive, instead of merely sympathetic. I know what it is like to feel like doing something and I could not deny him his opportunity to do what I like to do as well: leave the world a better place than I found it.
He put his hand on my shoulder and said it wouldn't take very long. I sat quietly and he didn't particularly bow his head or anything other than have his hand lightly on my shoulder. When he was done he asked if I felt different. I had to answer honestly and say that it didn't. I extended that by telling him that it was a nice energy from him to know that he wanted to help and that, on another level, was helpful in itself. I only half-jokingly offered that he could try practicing reiki with that energy. After all, the "laying of the hands" is a similar concept of healing, though the energy is ascribed differently.
And, so, I believe I experienced my first "laying of the hands" (despite years of 'fellowship' in my youth), and though his beliefs no longer translate to my world, his energy and intent were understood by mine.
I got home and felt like hell, and somehow lightened by the gesture of someone I'd only just really met.
I've had a great week of being around people who are helping to make things a little better for me, even though they recognise that they won't make this PGP go away. Every little gesture counts, for me; from the lady in the supermarket organising a hand to my car, to the kindly elderly people warning me about the path to the beach (I couldn't tell them that I know it like the back of my hand).
My pelvis is having a terrible week, but my spirit is lifted because of the people who offer their help. Because of my pelvis I know a lot more of the kindness that many people believe does not exist, the kindness that surprises the jaded.
I don't know about 'purpose' in all of this, I just know that I have to extract from my situation all that comes my way that brightens the path ahead.
The young lifeguard came around a couple of times, before pausing to marvel at my daughter's confidence in and around water. We chatted briefly about that and then he came around a bit later, when my son had finished his session and joined his sister in play, so I could show him that both my water-born babies were similarly confident.
At this point he asked me what the crutches were for and I explained that my pelvis had packed it in with pregnancy. I told him I would normally be in the water but for my pelvis and that I'd had my final surf over the weekend. We talked more about surfing and I gave him some tips, as he'd tried a couple of times with no luck. He asked my name and he asked how long I'd been in the area and the conversation was easy and very friendly.
After he left for more rounds of the pools I picked up my book again, and put it down at intervals to keep an eye on the kids - mainly to make sure they weren't being overbearing for other kids in the water (which they normally aren't, but I didn't want to be accused of not caring should the unlikely scenario arise). The lifeguard came over again and asked if I was on any medication for my pelvis and I said I wasn't, telling him heat, rest and hydrotherapy were really working for me.
What happened next I couldn't have predicted. He tentatively asked if he could pray for me. I asked him to repeat it in case I had misheard, and also to buy some time to think of how to respond. It didn't take me long and I told him that if he thought it would help then that was fine. He asked me if I thought it would help and I answered that I didn't particularly believe it would, but that I didn't mind if he wished to pray for me.
Had I been anyone else he may have copped a spray for his approach. I don't believe he was 'grooming' me in any way and he didn't offer anything else, like a chance to come to his next bible study. You see, this is the kind of territory I left behind many moons ago, so it was not a case of two worlds colliding. I could also sense his sincerity and that he wanted to be constructive, instead of merely sympathetic. I know what it is like to feel like doing something and I could not deny him his opportunity to do what I like to do as well: leave the world a better place than I found it.
He put his hand on my shoulder and said it wouldn't take very long. I sat quietly and he didn't particularly bow his head or anything other than have his hand lightly on my shoulder. When he was done he asked if I felt different. I had to answer honestly and say that it didn't. I extended that by telling him that it was a nice energy from him to know that he wanted to help and that, on another level, was helpful in itself. I only half-jokingly offered that he could try practicing reiki with that energy. After all, the "laying of the hands" is a similar concept of healing, though the energy is ascribed differently.
And, so, I believe I experienced my first "laying of the hands" (despite years of 'fellowship' in my youth), and though his beliefs no longer translate to my world, his energy and intent were understood by mine.
I got home and felt like hell, and somehow lightened by the gesture of someone I'd only just really met.
I've had a great week of being around people who are helping to make things a little better for me, even though they recognise that they won't make this PGP go away. Every little gesture counts, for me; from the lady in the supermarket organising a hand to my car, to the kindly elderly people warning me about the path to the beach (I couldn't tell them that I know it like the back of my hand).
My pelvis is having a terrible week, but my spirit is lifted because of the people who offer their help. Because of my pelvis I know a lot more of the kindness that many people believe does not exist, the kindness that surprises the jaded.
I don't know about 'purpose' in all of this, I just know that I have to extract from my situation all that comes my way that brightens the path ahead.
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