I try to relax as a skilled professional stretches my muscles. My leg goes up, far above my head; far higher than I could imagine. He holds it in place for 30 seconds, teaching me, explaining what he is doing and why. He has me lie on my left side and works the muscles on my right leg. His name is Alex and he is a gifted therapist and teacher. I have already done the bike and the leg press machine. This physical therapy is hard work. I want it to be easy. I want a quick fix. But instead, it is a slow and arduous process. But I see results. They are small and don't seem significant, but to me they are huge steps forward. Yesterday, for the first time in two months, I did not limp to work. I breathe deeply as Alex stretches my muscles again. There are so many times when I want to give up, when I want to admit defeat and say "I can't do this. It's too hard." But I keep on going and my leg gets stronger.
///
This past year I have watched an initially chaotic set of writings become an actual book that is almost ready to be birthed into the world. Good editors have taken my words and they have worked and reworked them like Alex works my muscles. I have had to give up control and let others take away words and sentences and then tell me to add other words and sentences. The goal: that a cohesive story emerges and my voice is not lost in the process. It has been a difficult but essential process. The final proof to my book arrived last week. There have been months, weeks, and days of wanting to give up, wanting to admit defeat and say "I can't do this. It's too hard." But I keep on going, and a book is born.
///
I went to confession last Friday. It has been weeks since I have gone. This process of admitting sin, admitting wrong doing - it is so hard. But when I finally go, I breathe a sigh of relief. This is not something that will get me to Heaven, it isn't a litmus test, but it is so healthy and freeing. Like the Psalmist David, I can say "Against thee, and thee only, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight..." My spiritual muscles have been weak and mushy. Like my physical muscles, they need work - stretching to make them stronger. Like physical therapy, there are many exercises that I have learned. There's confession, spiritual direction, prayer, meditation, being a part of a faith community that challenges you and forces you to forgive and grow. There is a big word for this used by theologians - sanctification. It is the "act or process of being made holy." There are so many times when I want to give up, when I want to admit defeat and say "I can't do this. It's too hard." But I keep on going - because to give up would be to deny what I believe and love. So I keep on going and slowly, my faith gets stronger.
My body, my book, my beliefs - they have more in common than I could ever imagine.
