UNDER THE MICROSCOPE

NEW SPECIMENS OLD SPECIMENS THE SCIENTIST MY LOG CONTACT ME
2002-12-12 - 8:02 p.m.

REDUCING SWELLING

Most days, I do not appreciate deep philosphic conversation at the breakfast table. Such conversation causes my brain to hurt. As long as I am not required to make an immediate response, however, an occasional quick, deep statement is not a major problem. The statement may even turn out to be a gift later in the day. Such was the case with the zinger Day-Hay got out over her Apple Cinnamon Cheerios.

Day-Hay, who now sports a new, blue cast that she can get wet, was musing about being encouraged to keep her arm up. She noted that putting body parts above the heart reduced swelling. I was half-listening. Mr. Philately was a bit more attentive but then he was more awake. And then I heard it. �I wonder if our head is above our heart to reduce swelling.�

Hmmm....Something told the fog in my brain to clear long enough to tuck that one away. If I had been a different mother or it had been later, I might have had a snappy response. I�m not even sure what I muttered back. I think I may have told her that I had no idea or that she might have to ask God if she ever got the chance. I may only be imagining a coherent response of any type and may simply have said, �Hmmm....� out loud. But I did remember it and I think I told her it was an interesting thought. (If I didn�t, I should have. I know that I remembered to tell it to Kat in Day-Hay�s presence so she does know I heard it.)

But now I�m awake and the thought has returned. Obviously, having our heads above our hearts can only reduce swelling, not prevent it. I�ve known many an otherwise normal person, with his head well above his heart, who still had a swelled head. On the other hand, I�ve known people who the cruder among us would say had their heads down in their nether-regions. Many of those people with their heads down have had very swelled heads. Perhaps that�s why people suggest that some of them wouldn�t be so bad if only they would pull their heads up out of their nether-regions.

Who can forget the deeper implications? Did our Creator try to give us the best possible chance of not getting swelled heads? Do we walk upright to humble us and not to give us dominion?

And then there are the other implications. When I have a bad cold, my asthma sometimes kicks in and I tend to prop myself up to sleep. On the days after asthma cold nights, do I have less of a swelled head than Mr. Philately who slept in a more normal position with his head on almost the same level as his heart. Is Day-Hay more modest because she likes to sleep propped up on two pillows?

What about all those children who like to hang upside down from the monkey bars? Are they running the risk if they have a swelled head of making it worse? Do we know any politicians who must have spent way too many years upside down on the monkey bars? What about a few actors? If we keep them upright long enough can we mitigate the damage?

And, finally, if our heads are above our hearts to reduce swelling, what happens if we stand straight and proud?

LAST YEAR: Telling the Truth by Choice

LAST FIVE ENTRIES:

Nobility
Full Out
Spoiled Wives
Tradition Continues(although if you check my guestbook you may find it almost didn�t)
Wearing Suits Proudly

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