| Thank You, God, for Hands | | Print | |
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David Mathewson, St. John’s-Grace, Buffalo Do you ever think about hands? I do. As an organist, the smooth, reliable functioning of my hands is essential for making the music which is at the center of my life. Somewhere in my mid to late twenties, when I began to slowly develop tendonitis, arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome, my hand became an almost daily concern. The symptoms I have experienced have, for the most part, been due to improper use of hand tools (Yes I do know how to use them!), repetitive key board entry work, genetics and overpracticing. Education, physical therapy, an occasional cortisone injection and the daily use of a strong anti-inflammatory drug, and healing prayers have enabled me to either overcome or minimize my symptoms. Knowing “when to stop” has been a key to this process. I recently have had surgery on both hands to relieve carpal tunnel symptoms. The twenty minute arthroscopic procedure will hopefully allow me to use my hands without much of the pain I currently experience. After each procedure, I had to live with one hand bandaged for a period of six days. Trying to live normally while keeping one hand elevated, clean, and dry, has been a bit more of a challenge than I had anticipated. While I could wiggle my fingers, my wrist movement was restricted considerably by the bandages. My body always let me know when I was pressing post-surgical limits. Throughout the experience, both pre and post-op, I have been remembering the hands of loved ones, both living and departed, hand that have touched my life. I have visualized them sewing, knitting, chopping firewood, fixing a car, playing the piano and gardening, both with and without gloves. I see loving hands deftly rolling a pie crust, decorating a cake, kneading bread dough. Making jam, stuffing a turkey, grilling chicken halves on the Fourth of July. Hands wrapping all sorts of gifts and debugging my computer. I remember the warmth of Bishop Robinson’s hands on my head at my confirmation and his gentleness of the first hands laid upon me for healing prayers. I am always amazed at the variety of grips used as we pass the peace and the diversity of the loving hands offering the Body and Blood of Christ. Frequently, I think of those who have lost one or both hands due to injury, disease or war. I admire the strength they have shown in learning to overcome the physical limitations imposed upon them and wonder if I could survive such a profound loss.
Most gracious and loving God, thank you for hands. |
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