Let me unfurl my sails and make for the open sea. I am not
afraid to see the far horizon as my only course. I do not need the crowded land
to be my only harbor. I will let the wind chase me over the waves, skimming
beneath the cloudless sky, steering through the night by the stars I choose to
follow. I will trust my self to be this free for I know that God accepts me
just as I am, empowers me as I am made, and will share my joy as I dare to go
as far as I can before I reach that distant shore where the light of an endless
love will bring me safely home. ~Steven Charleston
My Big Toe
Continued
If you have seen me, read my
blog post ‘My Big Toe,’ or seen any of my Facebook posts you know that a little
over two weeks ago I had surgery on my right big toe. After years of abuse, the
cartilage wore out and arthritis set in. Lately it had become a constant source
of pain and discomfort. This was
complicated by the fact that I can not take NSAIDs, anti-inflammatory pain
relievers. The time had come to have the bones in the toe fused. The dread of
surgery was ominous. Dr. Torres described the surgery using words like, scrape,
roughen, plate, screws, and twelve week recovery period. Yet he never said
those words in a negative way. He always looked ahead to the net result of what
ever was to come.
The surgery went very well,
just a little longer than expected. Dr. T found a real mess when he ‘got in
there.’ This is not a bit unusual for me and medical procedures. I have found
that there is a price to pay for abusing one’s body when you are young. Week
one of recovery was a day and a half of ‘pain’ pills and the rest keeping the
foot elevated 99% of the time (boring). The second week I got the reprieve. I was
allowed to go back to the office for four days (not five) for a maximum of four
hours a day, with the promise that I would elevate the foot when not
perambulating. During this time I was wearing a very fashionable open toed
bootie and sporting a cane for both balance and minimizing the potential for
weight bearing. Now this week I am allowed to be at work for the full day…
still with the bootie and cane.
When I returned to worked, I
immediately encountered large numbers of people who wanted to know ‘what
happened.’ They were also very curious about the two small feathers secured by
a leather thong on the shaft of my cane. Why would they find two small feathers
unusual on a chaplain’s cane?.. especially a chaplain who was born and grew up
in Oklahoma
There are many symbols used
in the various Christian traditions and other religions of the world to remind
their followers of important aspects of their faith or special occasions in
their traditions. As a matter of fact, there are thousands of symbols used to
give others information about many things. One most frequently seen in my work
place is the caduceus, the traditional symbol of medical practitioners.
For me like most Native
Americans the feather is a symbol of the wind. The wind is frequently
associated with the presence of the Holy (or Great) Spirit. For me the two
feathers on my cane is a reminder that no matter where I go or what I am going
through that I am never alone. I know that God is with me, that His Spirit is
there to give me comfort and support, help me make decisions, relieve my pain (physical
and other), and to direct my walk to those who are also in need. I am like
everyone else, distracted by the times. My feathers securely anchor me to those
things that I need to focus on.
Still skeptical? Let me take
you a verse from the Apostle John as our Lord speaks to one who is skeptical:
“The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but
you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with
everyone born of the Spirit."
John 3:8 (NIV)
I.N.J.
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