If you look at my neck you can’t see the bones that have arthritis in them. The scars on my inner body are invisible.
My neck was injured in a car accident in 1982. I was trying to cross three lanes of one-way traffic in my black, 1962, push-button, automatic Valiant that I bought for $150 dollars in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in the summer of 75.
A man in the middle lane waved me on and I was hit in the driver’s door by a car who was speeding in the third lane. After three weeks of physical therapy my neck felt better.
I didn’t think about the car accident until the chiropractor showed me the x-rays of my neck. The shape of the neck should be a soft c shape. The c shape of my neck has a bend in it. Perhaps from whip-lash.
The pain I felt when I shoulder check on the left side when I am driving became as familiar to me as the sun rising and setting.
I stopped noticing the pain, until a few weeks ago, when the pain started to talk to me in the middle of the night, “Hey, why are you sleeping? You can wake up now. Can I have a little heat please? You know you really should go and get this looked at. I am tired of feeling sore, and will you quit carrying that heavy purse on your left shoulder! And why do you have to carry a big bottle of water? And spend your change would you.”
“Okay, okay. All right all ready, I will make an appointment.” ( My dad use to say, ” All right all ready.” I hadn’t thought of that in years.)
My neck was damaged, and if left untreated it would have gotten worse. Ignoring the pain did not help heal my muscles and the bones in my neck.
Only by facing the problem,admitting the pain and asking for help, was I able to heal. The doctor gave me several exercises to strengthen the muscles around the neck injury to prevent the bones from going out of alignment again.
There are area’s in my life that are painful to remember. I have tried to ignore them. I pretend they don’t exist, hoping I can move ahead by denial.
Seeing the e-rays made me think of emotional pain that is hidden by a smile. Pain that needs to be acknowledged and brought before the one who created me.
An x-ray was necessary to see my bones. My emotional wounds are not visible to you. But they are visible to God.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.Psalm 139:4-5
The image of God laying his hand upon me is healing.
God made you and he loves you very much.
He will heal your wounds. And he will heal mine.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Psalm 147:3
Do you have emotional pain that is hidden by a smile?
Please let me know and I will pray for you. You can also e-mail me at pamela (at) ipaintiwrite (dot) com
