Wednesday, January 2, 2008

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."
**********

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.

**********

Celtic Angel

18 comments:

Lila Rostenberg said...

Thanks for all the update!!!!
I was wondering about the spoken word software...hope it helps!
I should have gone to bed an hour ago!!! YIKES!

Janet said...

So sorry I missed the post about your hands. HB had surgery on both his hands but one at a time, and for the very reason you gave! I know he suffered for several years before he finally went ahead with it.

I loved the Irish blessing from your daughter. So much wisdom in those lines. She sounds like a wonderful daughter and such a help to you. I hope the herbalist can do you some good over the internet.

Leanne said...

aw, Julie Marie, your daughter is lovely, what a lovely blessing she sent...a blessing from a blessing !

I wish I could send a little magic to make yuor hands feel better, sadly all I can send is my love and best wishes that you get some relief soon

leanne x

Annie Jeffries said...

Dearest Julie, Your daughter was an absolute lifesaver for you. I hope that software is all that you desire to make keyboarding easier.

The blessing is so beautiful. It inspired me to do some exploring today and create a Meaningful Things post. The besting will be the first item listed. Stay tuned sweetie. xxoo Annie

Laurie said...

Dear Julie,
I am sorry that your hands are giving you such pain. I hope you will be able to find some relief via on~line with the herbalist.
I try to see humor in even the worst of situations, it has certainly helped me the last couple of years.
I loved the Celtic blessing, being of Irish descent I love these blessings.

Sending you hugs, and hopes for bright and Happy New Year!

nonizamboni said...

And you are a blessing to me indeed!
Be strong and courageous and take good care.

Carole Burant said...

I so love that Celtic blessing and I hope you don't mind but I printed it out and have it pinned up on my cork board next to the computer:-) I'm so glad to hear that your daughter was able to spend time with you throughout the holidays and what a wonderful gift she gave you...good luck in learning how to use the software. Take care my friend and here's to another wonderful year of friendship. xox

J C said...

Blessings to you Celtic Lady! I wish I could take your pain away.
Your sidebar pictures are beautiful. I have seen that snowy lady several times before, in a vintage magazine.

GreenishLady said...

I too hope you will find relief from the pain soon. And that the new software will help ensure your continued presence here. I would miss you terribly if your blogging was curtailed. May the blessing take hold for you!

couragetocreatewriteandlove said...

I have chronic pain ... too.
I don't know your pain.
Mine is different.
Not in my hands...
Sorry it is in your hands.
I know it is NOT EASY.
Please know that I think of you all the time.
You know about it, right?

Anonymous said...

I catch up with read posts on my favorite blogs - oh, I didn't know, that you're not healthy! I send you all my positive emotions and thoughts! And I will prepare something for my "Pay it forward" im next few days - it may cheer you up, I hope!
This poem, which you received from your daughter is so beautiful and full of truth! I must print it and stick it in my diary! Thank you for sharing it! Send you kisses from frosty Poland!

Wolf Creek Cottage said...

Julie,
Have you tried to find the support guards for your wrist? I have used them in the past and the best ones i have found have a metal strip in them so you are unable to move your wrist, but even the ones that are kinda like spandex can also give some relieve. I have had the needles in my wrist and it is very painful. Good luck..Lizz

yours truly said...

Lovely blog, julie. i must drop in more often! Happy New Year!

gma said...

What a beautiful Celtic Blessing. Your daughter is so special to know exactly what speaks to you and what you love.
BTW the medical cure I suggested was in fun....what good would it be to be painless if you couldn't get off the couch???
Really Julie
hope you find some relief soon. Sending my love

Rowan said...

The Irish Blessing is beautiful, I haven't come across it before. It's nice to have you sounding more upbeat in this post, it must be very frustrating as well as painful having to deal with CTS so it's really good that you can still see the positives in your life. I hope you can get some help from the herbalist. I wonder if the special gloves that people wear to do needlework when they have joint pain would help? I have absolutely no idea whether this is a valid suggestion, just throwing it into the ring.

Lena said...

I appreciate this post, Julie. I think there is more than the usual amount of hardship going on with a lot of the bloggers that I know, right now. I think that sharing a bad day now and then helps others in a way. Sometimes blog life depresses me. It's all too much of everything. Great big fancy houses, shopping everyday, seemingly perfect people doing everything "right". I like to see the humanity in people from time to time, and don't feel that we should apologize for that. I am grateful for the hard times that come my way, most of the time. Usually....when they're over! LOL! I know that I'm stronger and more apprciative, because of them. At the same time, I agree, that there is much to celebrate in every day, and I try to mostly do that.
Take care.

Anonymous said...

I came to your blog first to read the Celtic blessing and to copy it. I secondly found that in many ways those with problems (physical, medical or others) are just as blessed as those without. The primary blessing is in the family and friends that help us to adapt and live with life we have.
The blessing was sent to me by a dear cousin in a flash message and I googled the blessing and translator and was led to you. May God bless you and your family and all that learn from your work
Dan

Jack Hennessey said...

This is the second time that I eard you great page. I'm greatly inspired. I don't know how you did it, but it is marvelous. I seem to keep receiving it in forwards.

If you could email me the original Irish and let me use it on my webpage, I would be very grateful indeed. To see i the page is appropriate it can be found at www.irishpage.com. My email is Irishpage@aol.com

Fondest regards,

Jack and Vivian Hennessey