Wheelchair to Walking


I had a very remarkable experience the other day. I decided to do my killer four mile run that exists as the doppleganger to my beer drinking. I burn calories through the running, I restore calories by beer drinking. It is a real co-dependent relationship. Maybe even dysfunctional.

As I came off the path around the lake, I was dying. I had given blood about two hours before and was feeling the lack of red blood cells and oxygen. And age. And an extra 20 pounds.

I saw a group of people coming towards me. As I approached them, I saw a woman was being surrounded by a man and a bunch of kids (presumably a family) and she was walking with the man holding her closely. She was moaning with delight as she came to the lake. Her steps were halting, her grin was not. Behind her was a young boy rolling an empty wheelchair. Arm rests were laying on the ground several yards behind the group.

As I passed, I saw the arm rests and asked if they wanted me to pick them up. The man turned back and said for me to leave them there. I figured the arm rests may have been like shackles that the woman and the group wanted to leave behind, probably just temporarily, as a celebration of her walking. To bring the arm rests to them could be a reminder of her condition and a cruel gesture, like I wanted to bring into her joy a stark reminder of her suffering. She was healing with each step, leaving them behind.

She was moving forward step-by-step. The lake was as waters of healing, where the hope of Bethesda stirred in the troubles. Real life...can't be beat. I was so blessed and rejoiced with her and her family. Go girl.

"After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked" - John 5:1-9

 


  

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