How did I end up on the floor of my office on a Wednesday
morning with a whole bunch of acupuncture needles stuck in me? Believe me, I wondered the exact same thing
as I lay there. The day had started so very normally. Being in the final throes of vacation
preparation, I was an extremely efficient pastoral machine. Sermons had been
planned and written, along with a few articles that would be published in my
absence. With a few days to go, I was tending to some of the more mundane
details. The huge plant in my office needed to be carried to the kitchen so
that others could water it. Sometime
after I set the plant on the kitchen table, it happened.
My back did whatever back-y thing it does, and it stopped
working. What started as a twinge wouldn’t un-twinge, and I found myself unable
to walk or do much of anything. The
floor of my office seemed like the best option for me to wait and hope for this
episode to pass. A staff member handed
me a few books and my laptop, and there I lay.
It’s a little blurry about how the Korean acupuncturist appeared
at my side, but I’m pretty sure it had to with Choong-Ho, my very compassionate
associate pastor. I think I was more surprised at finding a doctor that made
housecalls than I was about the whole acupuncture thing. I had never had
acupuncture before, but I was willing to try anything to fix my back. I looked
at Choong-Ho, whom I was forcing to stay in the room with me, and said, “Now,
acupuncture doesn’t hurt, does it?” Laughing,
he said, “Yes, it does.”
Here is what I now know about acupuncture. The doctor (a very kind, gentle, and competent man) presses
on various pressure points on hands, ears, feet, etc. while asking “Does this
hurt?” When the answer is affirmative,
he sticks a needle in that spot. While sticking it in, he asks again, “Does
this hurt?” and does not stop inserting the needle until the answer is
affirmative. Once all the needles are inserted (where they’ll stay for 20
minutes), he’ll thwack them occasionally if they’ve stopped hurting. He is very kind and gentle, but finding the painful spots is how he does his work.
While lying needle-fully on my floor, I couldn’t help but
laugh. I really do have the most extraordinary job in the world. I have been
exposed to experiences that I never, ever would have had otherwise, both for the
good and for the bad. (And, yes, I consider my acupuncture adventure under the “good”
column.) While talking me through the needles, Choong-Ho pointed to the Eleanor
Roosevelt quote I have in my office, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” On
Wednesday, that mission was accomplished!
Life is so interesting, and I’m thankful for ways that keep pushing me
beyond my comfort zone.
By the way, I was able to get up and make it to my favorite
chiropractor’s office after that treatment. I’m still moving slowly, but at
least I’m moving. The human body is a complex thing, and I’m thankful for
medicinal wisdom from east, west, and anywhere else that helps bring healing. (Don't look at the pic below if you're squeamish! I didn't look until after it was all over.)
