I’ll take my small triumphs!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Consider it either a small triumph or an act of craziness, but I was up early and completed my first entire yoga workout since the surgery.

My foot has hurt a lot from where the nerves were cut; other muscles are sore from lack of use. So it’s necessary to loosen them up and use them.

“There’s something very spiritual
about praying with one shoe!”

I was in the chapel praying morning prayers and had kicked off my right shoe because it doesn’t hurt as much that way. Fr. Matt walked by and looked in and quipped,  “There’s something very spiritual about praying with one shoe!” A good laugh to start my morning.

My 55 mile trip to Promise, South Dakota for mass was peaceful and meditative as I looked over the hills and river valleys. In places you can see ten miles or more onto the prairie. With clouds and sunshine and shades of  grass it never looks the same twice.

Twenty people were in church, and I knew everyone’s name. When I was in the parish, if someone wasn’t sitting in their pew, you usually knew the reason … they were either visiting relatives or were muddied in! After mass we stayed a full hour in the hall – telling stories, laughing and catching up.

The road back to the highway home was 28 miles of gravel. I didn’t come across any other cars. There’s some wide open spaces out here. I had a baseball game on the radio to keep me company so the three hour trip home passed quickly and enjoyably.

Author: St. Joseph's Indian School

At St. Joseph's Indian School, our privately-funded programs for Lakota (Sioux) children in need have evolved over 90 years of family partnership, experience and education. Because of generous friends who share tax-deductible donations, Native American youth receive a safe, stable home life; individual counseling and guidance; carefully planned curriculum based on Lakota culture and individual student needs and tools to help build confidence, boost self-esteem and improve cultural awareness. All of this helps children to live a bright, productive, possibility-filled future. View all posts by St. Joseph's Indian School