Grateful Leper

I've been pondering this blog for two months, since early December's art day at Angela's.  We were talking about being grateful when we don't get what we want.  In one of those moments I've come to recognize, I heard myself saying something I'd never even thought before, "When Jesus healed those 10 lepers, the one guy who came back- well, I think that he wasn't a grateful man because he was healed.  I think he cultivated gratitude while he was still a leper.  I bet he was a grateful leper."

"Bong," sounded the bell ringing in my soul.

Here's the text from Luke:

Jesus Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

 ¹¹ Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹² As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy^[b] met him. They stood at a distance ¹³ and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”  ¹⁴ When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.
 ¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.
 ¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”


I have since thought and re-thought about being a grateful leper, cultivating gratitude and happiness when I don't get what I want.  I believe that being a grateful leper is tied more closely to happiness than being thankful when I get my wish.  I believed that without gratitude, I will never find lasting happiness.  Could an ungrateful person ever really sustain happiness?  I doubt it.

This man blew Jesus' mind and entered Jesus' story not because he had suffered.  All lepers suffered.  Nor was it because he was miraculously healed.  All 10 were healed.  His story has been told for 2,000 years because he praised God in gratitude.  He didn't get grateful when he got healed.  Just look at the other nine guys.  His healing granted him his wish but I bet he had cultivated gratitude long before Jesus walked by. 

So, I find myself regularly reflecting on lepers and gratitude and happiness.

This morning I dreamed about writing "I am deeply grateful" on a large poster publicly hung.  Then I got the Wedge e-newsletter announcing that 2012 is the International Year of the Co-op.  So I replied with this email:

Hi, Elizabeth!

I've been seeing info on celebrating 2012 Year of Co-ops and I want to share one way I've celebrated myself.  I have created a quilt commemorating people and places which have helped me on my healing journey in my 20's and 30's.  I also have written an art blog sharing the stories of how each person and place have impacted me.  My quilt has 3 co-ops represented- The Healing Circle an alternative medicine co-op, MOMS Co-op from Cambridge MN (now City Center Co-op), and of course, our much loved Wedge Co-op. 

Here's a link to my quilt page which has photos.  Scroll down 'til you see the deep pink triangle shape in a close up photo- that's the Wedge's symbol.  MOMS Co-op is a rectangle and The Healing Circle, you guessed it, a circle.  Underneath you'll find my story about why I included these co-ops on my quilt.

Co-ops have played a big part in our family's well-being and in my story and it would be my honor to say so publicly.  Also, I love telling good stories and would be interested in helping you capture and share other people's stories about their co-op experience as a gift of gratitude.

The Wedge, what all of us have created here, means a lot to us and I'm really pleased we're taking a year to celebrate.  Let us know how we can join in the party!

:)Amy Reisdorf
for Mark, Anjali, and Tim, too

Once I sent that email, I realized that I had publicly launched my new art blog.  So, I spent the next three hours emailing everyone involved and thanking them.  I haven't had this much fun in a long time.  Total blast.  I re-read about each person in the art blog and then thanked them individually.   Fun, fun, fun.

What adds to this tale is that I was waiting all day for Dr Jenny to call with my CT scan results.  My jaw has been very painful lately.  Glasses prescription checked and fine.  White blood cell checked and normal.  Couple nights ago I was up in the dark watches pacing and praying, anxious and self-loathing.  Asked God for peace with myself and for the last couple days, received it.  Instead of freaking out all day while waiting to find out if I needed a hole drilled in my head, I thanked everyone and celebrated them and me and my healing journey.  Very powerful.  And calming.  And so much fun.

Got the call this afternoon- no cyst.  To find out why my head hurts and swells I'm going to a neurologist next week.  Ginger tomorrow and probably Joe soon, too.

In the midst of all that, that was the perfect time for gratitude.  
Today I got to be the grateful leper.
I'm delighted.