Unitarian Hymnal Sing-along

In which Kathryn attempts to sing a different song everyday from the Unitarian Universalist hymnal, 'Singing the Living Tradition'. Earlier posts are based on songs from the Reader's Digest songbooks she found at yard sales as a child, including: 'Reader's Digest Treasury of Best Loved Songs', 'Reader's Digest Family Songbook', and 'Reader's Digest Family Songbook of Faith and Joy'. Bonus Folk song material from: 'Folk Song USA', by John and Alan Lomax.

22 November 2005

"It's Magic"

I need a better song sometime soon, these are starting to get me down. Though it could be that this one just doesn't suit my voice. But it's still not beautiful enough or interesting enough for me to overcome that today.

I'm working on another client with cancer, though I'm very glad that she seems to be doing well. It could be worse, as I know. Most massage therapists that I know don't have any clients that have died, not true for me. I am grateful for the opportunity to work on people who are at the end game, though I'm also glad that my clientele includes a broad range of people, some of them healthy, some of them even relatively stress-free. But those in crisis do find me, when they need me.

When I was speaking to my client today, I was trying to explain how I believe we all have the opportunity to make the best with what we've been given. Sometimes we wish we weren't give quite so many f-----g growth opportunities, but they do indeed, inspire us to grow more than we would have otherwise. Sometimes we also get bonuses like unhealthy weight loss as well. That's just a little joke, ha ha! It's hard to tell what's meant to be funny when you're talking about the heavy stuff, but laughter helps the coping happen, and it can be easier than crying, at least it's a break.

I've learned a lot about life and death from my clients, and I'm very appreciative of the practical approach that I've seen: Try hard and creatively to live as long as you can, but weigh in quality of life, too. Physical pain makes everything worse, and becomes unbearable when it never lets up. Not all drug cocktails are equal, or meant for everyone. It can take too many tries to get it right. Being healthy is good, but getting old is still inevitable, and age means some sort of decline somewhere, eventually. Being touched is a good thing. Being with those you love, those who love you: good things.

I am grateful that I get to touch and be touched.

[I recommend the book 'Handbook for Mortals', by Joanne Lynn and Joan Harrold for anyone facing end of life issues.]

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