Lymies: Cranes #6-12

Somebody on Facebook actually prompted me to update again!  I haven't in awhile, and they told me they liked my blog.  I didn't even know they were on it, so I felt all fuzzy and inspired.

This is a lot of cranes at once.  I asked (quite) awhile ago on an online Lyme disease support group if anybody wanted cranes and prayers made for them, and I was excited when I got seven responses.  Somebody actually told me to make a crane for myself, and they would pray for me, which was one of the sweetest things I've ever heard.  Maybe I will if I don't discover more people to make cranes for, soon.  But for right now, I've stuck with people other than myself.  Again, I don't know the religious affiliations of anyone.  I think I should ask people next time so I can find the most appropriate prayer!

The first person to ask me for a crane was somebody who, at the time, just found out she was pregnant.  Then somebody later chimed in and said that I could use their crane for this person as well.  I ended up making two cranes, one for the baby, and one for his or her mother.  All my cranes for this post are green, except for the baby's, because nobody wants the baby to have Lyme, too!  Mothers with Lyme can pass the disease onto their children. Thus that crane is devoid of green, for good reason. Hopefully, treatment will have made her feel much better, and protected her baby. :)

Please grant this child of ours
a full term of nurture,
the joy and mystery of life,
and the blessing of your love.
Grant us the fulfillment of our dreams,
a baby to cherish and protect,
a child to teach and guide,
a blessing to our family.
Amen. 

Vienna Cobb Anderson from Prayers of Our Hearts

The second person to ask said that they could use all the help they could get.  I did not know anything else about them, but I understood that sentiment.  So I made them a crane with this prayer, which I hoped was appropriate!

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers
but to be fearless in facing them.

Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain
but for the heart to conquer it.

bengali poet - rabindranath tagore - 1916

Then somebody asked for a crane because though they were feeling a bit better, they were still suffering the effects of prolonged and misunderstood illness.  That can be really tough, so I hope they are feeling better now.  Here is their prayer.  It's short, taken from a longer piece, but I thought it was perfect.

Through life's trials and hardships
We can arise beautiful and free. 

for luna - julia butterfly hill - 11/26/2000

Somebody then told me they were very ill, and they weren't sure if they were going to make it.  I was saddened by that.  I hope that now they are doing better--since it's been awhile. :(

Stay on the path if you're suffering
by taking the steps you need to take.
Hang on and hang in there, because it's now
that you're growing at light speed,
You're never going backward only forward.

a personal prayer - kevin morais

Finally, somebody asked for cranes for her and her husband, who both have Lyme disease.  They are struggling financially and her husband had two job interviews this month.  She asked if I would pray he would get the job, and I did.  I hope he got one of the jobs he interviewed for!  I made two cranes, one for both of them.

It gets better.
Take my mind off what I know
is too big for me
this thing I always dance around
and never mention.

That's why there is faith.
It's the bridge between
the impossible and the infinite.
Please get me and mine safely across.

danse macabre - ruth williams - 2010

I have talked about Lyme disease, and what people can do, multiple times in this blog.  Instead, I'd like to talk about what people can do for everyone living with chronic, misunderstood illness.  Speaking from my personal feelings, the first and most important is to believe in the illness.  I put up with disbelief and condemnation from people who do not understand or assume I am "faking it" far too frequently.  Ignoring them and laughing off hurtful comments can get tiring.  Therefore, supportive friends and family are a safe haven for me.  Just believing that I am really sick is a blessing.  Not knowing what to say, or not knowing the right things to say, are irrelevant to me compared to that.  If you want to learn more about what it's like to be chronically ill, I'd start with The Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino.  It's a wonderful piece!

In other news, this is my favorite website for finding prayers. It has prayers from all religious traditions, and for nearly every need!  I like to spin the prayer wheel and see what comes up some days.  :)

Now I absolutely have to go.  I may be an insomniac, but my brain is dying, and I must rest it now.  Hopefully there aren't too many errors on this page. ^^;  I shall check it again tomorrow when I can think!