Blessing (reprise from last year)

the REST of the week #81 (

What would you like to rest from this rest of the week?

Photo by Danie Franco on Unsplash

How is your body doing?

If you could bless one part of your body with rest, which part would you choose?

Last year at this time (we are coming up on Thanksgiving in the U.S.), one of the chaplains at work stepped into our therapy office and pressed pause on the chaos of our hurried, top of the morning ways.

“Would you like a blessing for your hands?” Natalie asked.

She carried a giant bottle of hand sanitizer and a big basket of lavender sachets nestled beside smooth rocks engraved with words like peace, love, freedom, joy, thankful, dream, relax, hope…

We looked at each other and at her and said, “sure,"

She started with Blondie, our office manager.

“Receive this blessing,” she began, then continued:

May your hands which have touched life,

held pain,

rendered comfort,

reached out,

been received,

felt full and empty,

feel blessing today.

As you wash your hands, may you release anything and everything that fosters discomfort or despair,

regret or resignation,

and be replaced with peace and joy beyond means.

And, as you have cleansed, go forth feeling strength and hope, knowing that your presence at Aldersgate makes a profound difference;

that you are valued,

respected,

loved,

and appreciated, particularly in this season of gratitude.

The high intensity vibes of scrambling for work assignments and snagging laptops evaporated and, for a moment, we stood on holy ground, in a sacred space.

I thought of the patients I would be touching that day—and all the ways in which my hands make a difference.

How about you? What do you do with your hands?

Wipe tears? Prepare food for you loved ones?

Hold the back of the bicycle seat while your little one tries to go it alone?

Tap your phone to send a message to your loved one far away?

Type your heart into a word doc, that manuscript you’ve been working on for decades now, longing to finish and finally share with the world?

Wave to a friend?

Make music?

Touch a shoulder in support?

Hang an IV?

Crunch numbers?

Put gas in the car and guide the steering wheel, delivering your treasures safely?

Stir the soup, push the lawn mower, shovel snow, wipe the table, fold the clothes, test a temperature, hammer a nail, serve as substitute hands?

I press my hands together in prayer and gratitude for you and what you do.

May your rest be sweet,

Alicia