Hanging By One String

Tree on winter lake smallIt was a freak accident. Twenty years ago.

Our good friend, Patti, had just moved into an adorable townhouse that sat on the edge of a golf course. She was sitting in a lawn chair enjoying the summer sun when the you-can’t-make-this-stuff-up event happened.

A golf ball hit very hard from somewhere on the green went way off course and landed…
On her eye.

The result?
The eye was struck by such force that they had to remove everything inside the eye. They saved the retina and the cornea. But they implanted a lens, attaching it with 3 small strings.

Those 3 strings have been her lifeline for vision for 20 years.
Until last week.

Two of the strings had deteriorated and detached.
Everything’s hanging on by One. Small. String.

Patti’s been staying with mom for a few days before her eye surgery that will reattach everything. She has reminded me about my own life…
Those times when I’m hanging on by just one small string.

Patti has been doing everything she should be doing to keep her eye in place.
She’s limiting her movements. Keeping calm. Resting.
She’s taking care of herself. Work needs to wait. She’s letting others help her out.

As I’m watching her, I’m thinking…
This is what it should look like when you’re hanging on to life by one small string.

You don’t fight the problem…that will only make it worse.
You accept that there is a problem, and there is a solution. You work on the solution.

You don’t ignore the care and love of friends and family who want to help out.
{This is so hard, isn’t it?  Why?  Why do we hesitate to let others show grace and love and friendship?}
You let others be the hands and feet (or eye!) that you need them to be.

You don’t keep the same crazy-busy schedule or routine.
You do what you need to do to focus on the solution. Focus on what you need to do to get through it. To get better. {What would you tell your best friend to do if he or she was in this situation? That’s what you do to take care of yourself.}

And you pray.

But here’s the thing I’m learning about myself…

Praying comes naturally when my life is in a bit of a crisis.
It’s the other stuff that is hard to do.
And I wonder if God isn’t listening and watching and saying,
Yes! I hear you. I am with you. I am answering. AND will you please do the things that you can do? Do the things that will help make your situation better? Do the things you have control over – like taking care of yourself? We are in this together.

Maybe your life is hanging on by one string. Or two. Or three.
Prayer works miracles. That’s a promise we can cling to.

And…we can own our part of making the situation better.
Focus on the solution…
Take care of yourself…
Ask for help…
Slow down.

You are loved.

Would you like a little inspiration from me every day?

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Comments

  1. Thank you so much for your note. Patti’s surgery went well. She is waiting for the sight to return in that eye, but the doctor said he is confident it will return. In fact, it could be better than before. Your prayers are appreciated.

You are Extraordinarily Significant!