Walking With a Limp

I huff and puff my way through work-outs at the gym several times a week. As a middle-aged man I am aware of the energy of youth around me. I also see the handful of older people who continue to attend to their health. One older man looks to have suffered a stroke. One side of his body doesn't function well and everything he does is slow and laboured.

This morning he was in the change room and simply couldn't get the zipper of his jacket to work. He asked a muscular young guy to help him out, which he did patiently and cheerfully. The other day I was next to the same senior on the rowing machines. The handle slipped from his weakened grip and clattered against the machine. I saw him sigh at the prospect of unstrapping himself to retrieve it, so I popped over to pull it back for him. He is grateful for the support he gets, but it must be humbling to need the help.

I have great admiration for the perseverence of this man. I also have a wierd mind, so the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel in Genesis surfaced for me today. You might remember that Jacob prevails, but he walks with a limp as a reminder of the encounter. It occurs to me that most of us "walk crooked" as we make our way through life, whether physically or psychically.

As a minister I see that a lot of people I meet live with some form of pain, and only with time and trust do they reveal their wounds. Sometimes I wonder how they carry on. What they have taught me is that we can be defeated by the injuries, large and small. Or we find our way forward, with God's grace and with the support of others.