Sunday, February 27, 2011

A Diaphanous Garment

“The body is a sacred garment.” - Martha Graham

Vitruvian Man - Leonardo da Vinci
c. 1487, Pen and ink with wash over metalpoint on paper

It's Sunday, and time to focus on the sacred for a while. I've been thinking much lately about this ephemeral garment we wear, the body, and how truly fragile it is.

I will excuse you from this discussion now if you don't believe we all have souls. This is not the issue at hand, and so for today, I speak to those who believe there is a soul within each of us, and while we walk the earth, that soul is clad in a body.

That garment, so diaphanous, so delicate, needs to be cared for with great love. It needs to be kept clean, it needs to be inspected regularly for problems, and it needs to be mended when necessary. Most of all, it needs to be appreciated for the beautiful work that it does.

Each body is sacred, made with divine proportions by the Divine Creator. Whether that body is hearty, fragile, or scarred, whether it is healthy or infirm, it is sacred, and deserving of our respect and appreciation.

We are constantly bombarded with voices telling us that we are not thin enough, curvy enough, muscly enough, tan enough, pale enough, young enough, or not nearly young enough.

Our skin should be smoother, our teeth should be whiter, our hair thicker, our nails stronger, and our weight lower. We are never good enough, according to those voices.

I have a secret to share with  you. You are good enough. Just as you are. Today. Right here, this second. As long as your soul is clothed by a body, you are good enough.

Let us rejoice in what we have, rather than bemoan what we do not. Let us appreciate the work our body does for us, rather than grieve for what it never could do, cannot do any more, or cannot do as well as it once did.

My husband's nephew's son (what does that make him to me, besides loved? Great nephew? Grand nephew? 2nd nephew once removed?) is just a few weeks younger than my daughter. When they were little, they laughed and played and shared toys and ice cream at "G.G".'s house with all the sibs and cousins.

They were both adorable kids, of course (our family only allows adorable kids in it, after all), but Josh was born with Cystic Fibrosis, which required him to take enzymes with his meals, be careful not to catch colds, receive regular breathing treatments, and, generally, to be especially cautious with his sacred garment.

His parents handled the situation admirably, and no one thought much about what the future held in store for this smart and scrappy little boy. 

Naturally, he grew to be a smart and scrappy young man, too, filled with intelligence, curiosity, and far more depth than most kids his age. He has a keen sense of humor and a wickedly wry view of the world. He's in college, has an adorable girlfriend (hi, April!), and he's working on his craft of writing, with the goal of becoming a screenwriter one day. He's so cool.

In the fall of 2008, Josh's lungs began to give out, and the medical profession, which had worked with such dedication to help Josh to preserve their function, ran out of treatment options. Josh was put on the transplant list, and in November of that year, received the gift of fully functioning lungs.

Well, as sacred as that gift is, and as hopeful as we all were, it has not been a "match made in heaven." Rejection is always an issue with transplantation, and Josh is no exception.  Chronic rejection issues have diminished the capacity of the lungs to function properly, and Josh's health has declined again.

His lung function is now at 25%, and he's been in and out of the hospital a lot lately. We're all very concerned for him. But in the true spirit of a writer, Josh has started a new blog, Shut Up! I Got A Headache! in which he tackles the heavy issues he faces today.

Articulate and wise beyond his years, please  go to his blog HERE  

Click that 'follow' icon and learn more about his journey.

I hope you all will do two things in the coming days; first, remember to show your love and appreciation for that sacred garment you wear. That garment may not be all you desire it to be, but it's perfect for clothing the most uniquely beautiful thing in the world...your soul.

Second, I hope you'll join me in sending encouragement, prayers, healing energy, and love to Josh and his family. I know it can be a powerful source of strength for them. And rather than dwell on the 75% of function that his lungs have lost, I hope that they can see the 25% that his lungs are functioning with as a blessing, and move in gratitude and improvement from there.

May you breathe easy today, Josh, and know that you are loved. Amen.

I thought I should select a film score as music today as a nod to Josh's screenwriting goals. Josh, always remember that a good film needs great music, okay?

Here is music from the incredible 1986 film, "The Mission." (Coincidentally, that's also the year that Josh was born.)   Cellist Bion Tsang performs "Gabriel's Oboe" by Ennio Morricone in the PBS special "A Company of Voices: Conspirare in Concert," which premiered in March 2009. No doubt about it, this is sacred music. Enjoy.




24 comments:

  1. jo this passionate, rich, and stunning writing carries such a wealth of goodness about it. i can't recall when i began to know what you write about here, for myself. i've shared it with my classes for the past ten years - they're older students and have started to think about their bodies and to a lesser degree, the idea that the body is (as i share it with my eleven year old students) "wrapping paper for the gift inside". i much prefer the idea of it as a sacred garment. wow! thankyou so much. steven

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  2. Beautiful writing, Jo, you're so gifted. We talk about "healthy", not "skinny": what can we do to be healthier, take in more activities, live longer, treat our bodies with respect, just as you say. For ourselves. That doing so may help clothes fit "better" is just a lucky outcome. Or not.

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  3. Your post today went right to my heart. First of all, because you've put into new words what I truly believe, and second, because of my husband's current health challenges. I'll print this off and give it to him this morning and I know he'll be as touched by it as I have been.
    Of course prayers for Josh will be offered up from here. We have been so buoyed by the prayers of so many we'll never meet - I will be happy to add mine to the chorus for this brave young man.

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  4. Deep thoughts for the 1st thing in the morning, but some thing I hope I never forgot. Well said Jo.

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  5. Thank you for the very kind comment, Steven.

    So pleased to know you teach acceptance to your youngsters, but of course you do. They are such lucky students to have you guiding them.

    xoxo

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  6. Lowell, thank you for your kind words, too. I agree, the goal should be to live with intent...intent to treat ourselves as the sacred beings we are. Everything else eventually falls into place as a result of that.

    I'm so glad you joined in this conversation. Thank you again.
    xoxo

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  7. Pondside, I'm pleased that the post spoke to your heart today.

    I'm sorry to hear that your husband has health issues...I'll add those to the prayers ascending today.

    Thank you for visiting again. Give your husband a hug from me.
    xoxo

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  8. Thank you so much, Brian. I'm pleased to hear from you, and glad to know the post touched you in some way.

    Have a lovely Sunday,
    xoxo

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  9. Thanks so much for honoring me like this, Jo. It's always such a mystery how I ended up with so many people around who care about such a pain in the butt like myself; but it's comforting as well, and I guess I just shouldn't question it.

    Love you,
    Joshua

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  10. Thanks for sharing, Jo.

    Great thoughts wonderfully expressed.

    Made me laugh ... smile ... pray ... think!

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  11. A beautiful and inspiring reminder. Thank you. The addition of music makes the experience of reading your blog even richer. ~ Hannah

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  12. Very timely. Your post gave me pause to refelct on the condition of my own garment... tattered and worn, frayed around the edges, but still functioning. Off to "follow", and put some mojo out there for Josh.

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  13. Sorry to blow your cover, Josh...er, Cooper. I somehow missed the pseudonym on your blog!

    It's really no mystery. You have so many people around you who care about you because you are such a DELIGHTFUL pain in the butt.

    No, you shouldn't question it...just receive the love and well wishes and healing energy coming your way. They are hard earned and well deserved.

    I love you too, Josh.
    xoxo

    p.s. Now would it hurt you to follow MY blog, too? ;-)

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  14. Thanks so much, Mike...emphasis on the 'pray' part today, okay?

    So glad you came by...don't be such a stranger here. I love your feedback.

    Have a great Sunday,
    xoxo

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  15. Welcome, Hannah. Thanks for joining the conversation, and for your very kind words.

    Ithink music improves almost any setting, don't you? Glad you like it.

    xoxo

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  16. Hi Rick! I'm so glad to have your powerful poet mojo to add to the rest of the healing heading Joshua's way today.

    Many thanks for your visit today.

    xoxo

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  17. Jo. Taking off my glasses. Putting space here. Words are so inadequate sometimes. I've got something for Josh, God Bless him. The oboe and cello serenade was very powerful. We should each breathe it in and breathe it out toward Josh. Maybe we won't see the improvement, but there will certainly be much.

    Thank you for your timely reminder about our wrapper. My skin vibrates with my connection to Josh. He smiles with our meager thoughts of concern. So lofty is his being in his outer body. Peace

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  18. Heartfelt thanks to you, Dubby. So grateful for this.
    xoxo

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  19. WOW! What everyone else said. I went to Church this morning after reading your post to see Connor and Grace be baptized. The sermon was awesome as was the praise Music!

    Sending loving, healing and spiritual thoughts to your Joshua and letting him know, we are all praying for him.

    Love you...

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  20. Oh, Vicki, thank you so much.

    Thanks, too, for visiting Josh's blog...he's pretty phenomenal, isn't he?

    xoxo

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  21. I visited Josh and left him a message. I cannot listen to Gabriel's Oboe because we played it at my mother's funeral Sept. 2009, Barry's mom's funeral Feb. 2010 and Barry's funeral. Just humming it makes me cry. Thank you for sharing this. I left Barry's blog contact for Josh, not to depress him but because there may be something inspirational there for him. Joshua's strength is incredible and inspirational. xoxo

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  22. Linda, you are so generous, and so sweet, and so kind and so strong, I'm in awe. I know it must have been very difficult for you to relive Barry's passing, but the thoughts you shared with Josh on his blog were profound.

    I had no idea about Gabriel's Oboe. Although I felt it to perfectly represent what I wanted to say, I would have chosen something else had I known.

    Much love and gratitude to you tonight, Linda.
    Thank you. ♥
    xoxo

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  23. What a beautiful post. The energy and beauty of it spread far and wide across the network. You are a blessing.

    C.F. is a hideous condition. I'm thinking about Josh this morning, but also sending love and Reiki to everyone in your loving family, as well as giving thanks for my good health.

    Much love and appreciation to you, friend and sister!

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  24. Thank you for the beautiful sentiment, but thanks even more for the gift of your healing energies sent Joshua's way.

    Both touch me deeply.
    xoxo

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Your visit makes my heart smile. Thank you.