In the last couple of days a comforting image has come to mind on more than one occasion. The car accident my husband and I were in ten days ago shook us to the core. Though we weren’t seriously injured, rolling over four times did a little more than addle our brains. We are recovering slowly and steadily and that is all that matters.
Loud noises make us jump, little annoyances seem big ~ we describe ourselves as “twitchy”. But we go through each day doing our respective jobs, taking care of the bureaucratic rat’s nest that has ensued, one phone call at a time, visiting doctors, etc. We do alright, all things considered.
Lying in bed at night, when the immediate demands have ceased, images come back to haunt me. The sequence of events plays out in my mind, various chapters, days and moments rehearse themselves trying to find a place to settle in my memory. It is not pleasant but I like to believe it is a necessary part of the healing process. In the midst of the chaotic images tumbling around in my psyche, a disparate, completely unexpected one eased its way into the mix.
In this new image, I am encircled by all of the warm, wise women I have come to know over the years. Their arms reach out to hold me up, their affectionate smiles and soft words allow me to feel safe and relax, knowing I am cared for, loved and protected. The image reminds me in feel and tone of something Laurel Birch might have depicted ~ in softer, more muted tones. I am not an artist, but I would like to take a stab at creating a pictorial image of what I see in my mind’s eye, because it feels like a universal image of love, motherhood, sisterhood, perhaps even God.
Womanhood, in its purest essence, in its most perfect earthly example of nurturing wisdom, is a powerful force ~ one that seems sorely missing in the external world and yet profoundly present in the spiritual realm. I intend to hang on to this image as I heal and throughout the rest of my life. I encourage you to begin to assemble your own personal collection of loving, kind, compassionate sisters, so that in your hour of need you can breathe in their strength until you can once again find your own and return the favor.
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What a beautiful image you have presented here! You are blessed to have such a heartwarming and nurturing experience of envisioning this particular image. Thank you for sharing it so that others (such as myself) may also be blessed by embracing this. You and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers. Blessings!
I have had a similar car accident some years ago and still have some sweating attacks
when on free streets ( as it happened without anything proven to be the reason for it )
This shook me profoundly and gave a whole other view upon my life ~
so I wish you well in your recovering and yes, sisterhood, directly or by vision is a
profound help 🙂
Dorothy.. this is simply beautiful. You’ve described what I think is a ‘tender mercy’.. a personalized gift from God to comfort you on this journey. The fact that your vision is of sisterhood is not lost on me. I agree with you about women. We are nurturers.. and when we connect, it’s often intense and lasting. Thank you for these thoughts. I look forward to reading more about your journey.. 🙂
Dorothy, I saved your past 2 blog posts to comment when I had the time. I now have the time but that is because I am suffering from a chest and throat infection and I’m home from work! It isn’t how I would have chosen to find time but the universe responds to us in ways that are sometimes a mystery. Your story of the accident and the wonderful French man who kept you calm is amazing as is your visualization of the sisterhood that holds us in love. I love your words. I suspect this accident is causing you to slow down a bit which maybe is a wake up call for life. I now slow down every Wednesday when I babysit my grandson Oscar. You might like my recent blog post:
Take good care of yourself. You are a gift to all of us.
love
Dianne
Thank you Dianne! I’m sorry you’re sick but I’m glad you stopped by! It has caused me to slow down (which I resist so!) but it has also forced me to use the side of my brain that doesn’t get near enough exercise! and causes me all kinds of fits. Without the effective use of my right hand I am having to spend my time taking care of more practical tasks which I too often put to one side.
It is lovely that you have a grandson to enjoy ~ I don’t know if I’ll ever see that day! Thanks for the link to your post. I will drop by. I hope you feel better soon. DS