The Sage, The Floridians and Monday.
It was Sunday.....the day before Karin's surgery. It had been a rough night. Lots of worry bouncing off the walls at home. I decided to walk down The Lincoln trail to The Ol' Sage's cabin. Maybe a brief visit. A chance to "catch my breath" in this frustrating wait for the surgeon's knife.
It was early....about 7:15am. He was up. I saw him sitting at the table sipping more coffee while reading his morning paper. He heard my knock and gave his familiar yell..."It's unlocked!". I came in talking....releasing my frustration....telling the stories of the evening before.
I stepped over the floor clutter and leaped into the kitchen chair sitting closest to the coffee pot. Before my butt could settle into the seat, I felt myself going down. Way down. The Sage looked with shock. I looked puzzled as I quickly progressed to the floor landing in the midst of the floor clutter I had just seconds ago avoided. The Sage jumped to his feet and ran to my aid as he proclaimed, "...another kitchen anomaly!.". We both laughed at that one! I dusted myself off and cautiously tried another kitchen chair. It took a few minutes before I trusted the seat enough to release all my leg muscles and let the chair do it's job. It was a traumatic beginning....
"O.K.?", the Sage asked. I was fine....a little shaken, but fine! The Sage was reading about the Florida explosion. He was glad not to be a Floridian who might have been showered with pieces of the "anomaly" rocket that exploded. A gentle word for such a dangerous happening! And with those thoughts, my coffee was poured and ready to sip. I was happy now and somewhat secure.
"One more day to go...before Karin goes 'under the knife'.", I muttered with exhaustion. I went on to tell The Sage that today is her last therapy session before surgery. That's right....another trip to The Paradice....the gambling boat near Peoria, Illinois. The boat is a long way from The Lincoln Trail....a long way from the moral roots of our youth, but it is a part of the 90's recreational options! The bright lights, the alarm bells that identifying another "winner", the screams of the novas gambler when five coins drop....it's all apart of the gambling ingredients. Great therapy for my honey. She loves it. My biggest problem is when we leave the boat....if she loses all her therapeutic money.
I hope today she will be a winner. Like a "break-through" in therapy, a win at the boat would make her deeply happy. And please...please....no anomalies at the boat! It would ruin her day if the boat sinks or explodes!
Tomorrow at 5:00am, it will be time to meet the Anesthesiologist and receive his pre-surgery gift....a twilight shot! And with a second cup of coffee, I went on to say that both Karin and I are comfortable with the hospital situation....the surgeon, the hospital room, the surgical plan and recovery schedule. We expect no anomalies on Monday. We look forward to an uneventful reconstructive surgical procedure.
The Ol' Sage sat back in his chair, adding...."It's not in your hands. It's in God's hands! This is another experience in which you must trust....another experience in which your faith is tested. The statistical odds show you as a "winner"....but the individual experience is yet to be unfolded and yet unknown. If you trust in man's skills alone, you will worry a lot with good reason. If you trust that God exists and he is at work in your life, you have nothing to fear...however the experience unfolds, it is God's gift! Keep your focus on God today....even during therapy!"
The Sage was right. I finished my coffee and returned home. Ready to meet the day. Ready to take responsibility for my attitude. Knowing that even anomalies are within God's plan. But I would be cautious with chairs today....I might check their sturdiness....I might shake them before sitting. I would leave Karin's experience is God's hands but I would help Him a little with my chairs for today. No sense encountering unnecessary chair anomalies! Right?
Let's go way back to The Lincoln Trail.