Thursday, October 28, 2004

A Different Kind of Salve

Although I promised myself to find a lighter topic for this week's story, I have spent the morning with my heart in my throat as I read the most recent spate of messages to Spenser and cannot be counted on to keep my commitment.

A prayer feather















A prayer feather

After reading so many caring notes, I am compelled to let our friends know how the missives have touched Spenser, Barry and the entire Twin Rocks family. The messages offer love, prayers, stories of similar experiences and many other things intended to assist Spenser. The offerings have touched me in a special way, and I feel obliged to thank all those people who are helping Spenser heal.

From the earliest hours of his ordeal, we have been stroking Spenser's head, arms and legs; telling him how much we love him, and how important it is for him to recover. At one point the doctors even asked us to stop touching him, saying they felt we may over stimulate him. Their cautionary advice did not, however, stop us long. As we stood by, willing him to wake, we could not quit holding his hand, kissing him, rubbing his head and massaging his muscles; we had to touch him and we had to love him. We needed him to know we were by his side, whether he was conscious or not.

As word of Spenser's accident spread, we were dumbfounded by the support we received; some from people we barely knew before the mishap. These people began to express their love in much the same way we had; deeply and consistently. Many people chose to let us know they were praying for Spenser, and others found different, equally touching ways to express their support.

Last week I received an e-mail from Floyd and Edda asking whether Spenser might have any use for a certain salve that is especially effective at growing new skin over serious wounds. Our friends wanted to know if Spenser had any outward injuries that might be cured by the cream. In the message, Floyd and Edda said their home was only five hours away, and they would bring the ointment to the trading post if it might help. It seemed extraordinary to me that they would offer to drive so far out of their way to assist Spenser, but his accident has elicited many similarly monumental outpourings of love.

Although Floyd and Edda's cream was not needed because Spenser's injuries are internal, their inquiry comprises one ingredient of a more important salve that I have seen work magic over the past month and a half. That particular balm, created with love, caring and extraordinary tenderness has made all the difference to Spenser. It has begun to heal injuries that seemed too large to contemplate only a few weeks ago and helped him overcome incredible odds.

When I spoke with Spenser this morning by telephone, I told him I had received a message from Clay and Judi, who wanted to give him a prayer feather blessed by a Hopi medicine man. The Hopi healer had said the feather will help make Spenser mend faster if his family love is strong enough. The love of Spenser's extended family of friends will make that a very powerful feather indeed. As I explained Clay and Judi's gift to Spenser, I could hear his interest grow. The conversation was interrupted by a fit of coughing, but when he came back on Spenser asked me to finish the story and said he looked forward to receiving the feather.

In spite of their role in Spenser's recovery, many people have told us they feel unable to help; that they feel powerless and don't know how to be more involved. I have tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to tell them their concern, love and caring is having more of an impact than they can imagine. Every week we give Spenser the e-mails, cards and letters we have received over the past seven days. You can almost see him improve as he reads the words, and his spirits soar to know there are so many people pulling for him.

The love and support contained in your messages is a balm stronger than any other. I have seen the love in your eyes, read it in your messages and know its healing properties. One day soon Spenser will be out of the hospital and back home. The support of his extended family of friends will be largely responsible for getting him there.

Copyright©2004 Twin Rocks Trading Post

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