COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

CELTIC CROSS

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My daughter sent me an email card with this beautiful Celtic Blessing today:

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CELTIC BLESSING

(author unknown - translated by Charles Mitchell)

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"I wish you not a path devoid of clouds,

Nor a life on a bed of roses,

not that you might never need regret,

nor that you should never feel pain.

No, that is not my wish for you.

My wish for you is:

That you might be brave in times of trial,

when others lay crosses upon your shoulders.

When mountains must be climbed,

and chasms are to be crossed.

When hope can scarce shine through.

That your gift God gave you

Might grow along with you

and let you give the gift of joy

to all who care for you.

That you may always have a friend

who is worth that name.

Whom you can trust, and who helps

you in times of sadness.

Who will defy the storms

of daily life at your side.

One more wish I have for you

that in every hour of joy and pain

you may feel God close to you.

This is my wish for you,

and all who care for you.

This is my hope for you,

Now and forever."

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I really like this Celtic Blessing, for three main reasons:

1. It came from my daughter, who is not particularly religious, in the traditional sense of the word.
2. It is not one of the more common Irish Blessings ("May the road rise to meet you"; "May you be in heaven an hour before the devil knows you're dead.")
3. It really speaks to where I am right now.

I want to thank everyone who posted a comment on my blog under the post "Oh, My Aching Hands." Thank you for allowing me to have my little pity party regarding the pain in my hands from carpal tunnel syndrome. Sometimes it is necessary to have a pity party, as long as one doesn't wallow in it too long, and it is conducted in front of a sympathetic audience!

To answer some of your questions and comments: Yes, it it carpal tunnel syndrome. I had needles plunged into my arms and had shocks applied in order to diagnose CTS. Yes, I do type on my job, all day long. As far as I can determine, there are no qualified herbalists in all of North Dakota. However, my daughter has given me the name of the herbalist who cured her boyfriend's Lyme Disease and his mom's irritable bowel syndrome. Maybe he can help me online.

Yes, Mari-Nanci, you are right. I will have to curtail my computer use. Of course, since I cannot do this at work, I will, sadly, have to cut down on my blogging.

Dear Gemma, would that I could consider medical marijuana, but I need my mind as well as my hands in the workaday world! (P. S. I know your suggestion wasn't serious!)

Today, I finally got an appointment to see a doctor at the Bone and Joint Center for possible cortisone shots (but he is busy until February 5!). Several of you have told me that the shots have been helpful for problems in other joints.

Annie (Bimbimbie), if I do have to have surgery, I will take your advice about having one hand done at a time. In fact, my fellow abstractor has had CTS surgery in both hands. When she asked why she couldn't have both hands done at once, her surgeon replied, "Well, do you have someone lined up to wipe your (butt) for you?

Isn't it great that we can manage to see humor in the worst situations?

In a comment, Britt-Arnhild, who has similar problems, wrote that her solution is to "count her blessings." My dear, you are so right, I need to count my blessings. And my dear Kristen, you are so right to send me this blessing. Rather than request that our lives be free of pain and suffering, we should ask for bravery, friendship, and the ability to give "the gift of joy" back to the friends who have given us so much. We also need to feel that God close to us, NO MATTER HOW YOU DEFINE GOD.

My blessings:

In spite of our various aches and pains, we had a wonderful holiday season. Hardly any of my voluminous decorations were set out, the Christmas cards didn't get written, and the "high up" places didn't get dusted, but we had good food and great family time, and we all got presents
"sufficient unto our needs (or wants)."

Our wonderful daughter was able to be here for nine days (too much for this metropolitan gal). She and I went to a couple of movies and had several lunches out. Kristen, who definitely had no interest in housekeeping when she was a teenager, was a godsend to me in cleaning house and decluttering while she was home. I tell her she could go into the home organization business, but she is sticking with library science for now.

One of my presents from Kristen was the "Naturally Speaking" software, which turns the spoken word into print. I have promised Kristen that I will learn this software, which she so lovingly gave me in order to help me save my hands.

We will be having a January thaw, starting tomorrow and lasting for a few days. The January Thaw usually happens at the end of the month, but I will accept it whenever it occurs!

The days are getting longer!

We are clothed, and sheltered, and fed, and gainfully employed, and loved! We are so fortunate that we do have "friends who are worthy of the name". And I count you, my blogging friends, as paramount in the order of friends so worthy. YOU are my blessings.

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Celtic Angel