Saturday, January 7, 2006

everyone can use a little needling sometimes. Today is Epiphany. What, you ask, is Epiphany? Well, according to Wikipedia.org: Epiphany (Greek: επιφάνεια, "the appearance; miraculous phenomenon") is a Christian feast intended to celebrate the 'shining forth' or revelation of God to mankind in human form, in the person of Jesus. The observance had its origins in the eastern Christian churches, and included the birth of Jesus; the visit of the three Magi, or Wise Men (traditionally named Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) who arrived in Bethlehem; and all of Jesus' childhood events, up to his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist. The feast was initially based on, and viewed as a fulfillment of, the Jewish Feast of Lights. This was fixed on January 6. And according to Websters? Main Entry: epiph·a·ny Pronunciation: i-'pi-f&-nE Function: noun Inflected Form(s): plural -nies Etymology: Middle English epiphanie, from Middle French, from Late Latin epiphania, from Late Greek, plural, probably alteration of Greek epiphaneia appearance, manifestation, from epiphainein to manifest, from epi- + phainein to show 1 capitalized : January 6 observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ 2 : an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being 3 a (1) : a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something (2) : an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking (3) : an illuminating discovery b : a revealing scene or moment Most people use the term nowadays in the second sense Webster indicates: when they are describing a sudden, profound realization or revelation. People speak rather poetically of ephiphanal moments. It's a poetic notion, really. Who doesn't love the idea of coming to a dramatic or meaningful conclusion when life is usually so vague and numb? Such things have fueled literary minds from time immemorial. But I don't think of poetry when I think of epiphanies. I think of anaphylactic shock. In my former non-profit life, I was the director of a children's camp on a lovely island nearby. It was an idyllic existence, really, when I wasn't overtired, unshowered, and beset by brown recluse spiders. I loved it, actually. But here's something I learned during my time in that particular saddle: if you're going to be in charge of a bunch of kids, you better be prepared to deal with health emergencies. I don't mean boo-boos, either. I mean bona fide issues. Seizures, sprains, sucking chest wounds, mass epidemics... you name it, I dealt with it. One of the most dominant -- not to mention scary -- concerns, however, was the ever-present threat of fatal or sem-fatal allergic reactions. If a little person is allergic to something (bee or wasp stings, dairy, seafood, nuts, etc) and comes into contact with said item... well, you have a serious problem on your hands. Need I say more? Most kids cannot handle physiological upsets with any kind of ease. If their breathing becomes laboured or their skin reddens or they develop hives or their throat begins to itch or swell (not to mention a dozen and ten other wacky 'tells'), then you need to act fast or risk losing them altogether. And I don't take those kinds of risks. This is where EpiPens come in. Here's a quick summary of what EpiPens do: EpiPen® is an auto-injector that administers epinephrine[~]and epinephrine is the definitive emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions. These reactions, called anaphylaxis, can become fatal within minutes if untreated. Since not all allergic reactions can be avoided, and because allergic reactions can progress quickly to deadly anaphylaxis, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology currently recommends this leading form of self-injectable epinephrine. Administering EpiPen® at the first sign of a severe allergic reaction can provide a person with the time needed to get to an Emergency Room. Woo! We used to have our staff practice giving these shots to navel oranges. The skin of the orange provides a similar sensation (so they say -- I've only administered an EpiPen once, and it was a complete blur) that prepares them to plunge the needle into human skin. Ack! Check it out: And I don't just mean the ugly shorts. When you get a shot of epinephrine during an allergic reaction, your body is able to deal with a barrage of allergens in a way that it can't without the magical elixir pumping through the needle. It's a dramatic reprieve. When you realize that my camp counselors had to carry EpiPens around in fanny packs during all nature hikes, you see where I'm about to go with this: They had EpiFannies. Sigh. I know. But it's absolutely what I think of every damn time I hear the word. And that may not be as goofy a connection as you think. I could babble on forever (and did, to my staff, way back when) about 'fight or flight' responses, but that's not really the point here. The point is that there is usually something we can do to mitigate our capacity to self-destruct in the face of trauma, and that is an opportunity of which we must always be mindful. We carry our EpiFanny, and then we're ready for anything. You're probably wondering now what any of this has to do with today. So let me explain: Epiphanies are my ephinephrine. When I face difficult moments -- and these past few years have brought their share -- I constantly strive to learn something about myself or my environment that will lend me enough perspective to keep things moving forward. It's an active, conscious choice in the face of overwhelming circumstances. The biggest lessons I learn in life often come to me in the midst of hard times or fearful days: I discover how strong I am, what I'm capable of handling, how I can better respond to pain, what my weaknesses are, how I can love others better... you name it. Then -- when everything really falls apart and my body and my heart are nearing shutdown -- those lessons become a shot of clarity and hope in the midst of hell. If I learn nothing -- if my eyes stay closed because my fight or flight response tells me that shutting down is the only way to save myself -- then I give in to despair and silence and self-enforced ignorance. I think that's why I write and read and share my life here and hungrily seek out the knowledge of others and take dose after dose of truth. I know that it won't always feel good to let ideas course through my veins to counteract whatever consuming venom I've released there, but the alternative is so much worse. To be silent? To suffer alone? To let the poison take over my system until I can't function anymore? Why would I ever choose that fate? Besides, it only hurts for a second. Then the rush comes. And that's what keeps me going every day. 2:50:42 AM    well, yes, but...  []

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