I first met John about 15 years ago at a Newark Valley Fair. I had set up a booth and was giving free Raindrop massages to men. A Raindrop massage consists of several specific essential oils dropped about 6 inches above and on the spine and working mainly on the back and feet. This technique and essential oils minister to several systems of the body – immune system, skeletal/ muscular, cardiovascular, lymphatic, digestive system, hormonal, nervous system, respiratory system, emotional balance and sometimes spiritual. John was the first that day to receive a Raindrop. Twenty minutes later he returned. “See this?” he said shaking his head back and forth, back and forth. “I am a bus driver and couldn’t turn my head. I had to turn my whole body around to see out of the back window. Furthermore, the chronic heartburn is gone. I won’t need antacids anymore.” Now he still drives quite a long distance to see me monthly. Every 6 months he has a total physical from the VA. The Doctors are amazed at him –“How does a fat balding man like you who gets no exercise and whose diet stinks have such good blood work?” and he has the blood pressure of a teenager. Another time the doctors, pushing a document for him to sign, said he should donate his body to science. He does however do several good things for himself – he drinks no coffee, no soda, no alcohol and doesn’t smoke. He has a drop of peppermint oil in his morning tea. He drinks large amounts of water (Nature’s cheapest medicine) It helps that he has a great sense of humor (A Merry Heart doeth good like medicine.)
John is the one I practiced new techniques on. He doesn’t mind me writing about him. Over the years I listened to his stories and learned about his life. He told me of seeing the moving wall (replica) memorial of the Veterans of the Vietnam War. It’s called “the wall that heals.” It is not healing for John. He has to stand several yards from it, recognizing some of the names and it brings up bad, sad, angry memories of the war. When he returned from Vietnam people threw garbage at them as they descended from the plane. He has had bouts of malaria, and agent orange that has and is still killing many, many soldiers Three soldiers died this week and there is one waiting for a double lung and heart transplant. Twice he was placed in a padded room and his wife divorced him. He said the divorce was more painful than the war.
A couple visits ago he came in very frustrated/angry. After all these years of having no heartburn, it returned. He told me he had received a letter telling him that a memorial for Vietnam Army Rangers was being erected in Pittsburg. And he was invited-expected to be there for the dedication. He didn’t want to go. I reminded him of his telling me of the Moving War Memorial. Sometimes, I said, heartburn has a root cause of fear. He was quiet for a couple minutes then said, “Like the Ranger Memorial?” “ maybe.”
Two days after that visit President Trump named that day as a memorial for Vietnam Veterans. I called John to tell him about that. He told me the heartburn was gone. I don’t know if he ever went to Pittsburg. He sounded jovial and I could hear another male voice in the background. He said they were planning the annual catfish derby. I asked – mock aghast ”the dirty Susquehanna River?” “We only fish in the clean part.” And the soldier in the background, John and I laughed.
John is the one I practiced new techniques on. He doesn’t mind me writing about him. Over the years I listened to his stories and learned about his life. He told me of seeing the moving wall (replica) memorial of the Veterans of the Vietnam War. It’s called “the wall that heals.” It is not healing for John. He has to stand several yards from it, recognizing some of the names and it brings up bad, sad, angry memories of the war. When he returned from Vietnam people threw garbage at them as they descended from the plane. He has had bouts of malaria, and agent orange that has and is still killing many, many soldiers Three soldiers died this week and there is one waiting for a double lung and heart transplant. Twice he was placed in a padded room and his wife divorced him. He said the divorce was more painful than the war.
A couple visits ago he came in very frustrated/angry. After all these years of having no heartburn, it returned. He told me he had received a letter telling him that a memorial for Vietnam Army Rangers was being erected in Pittsburg. And he was invited-expected to be there for the dedication. He didn’t want to go. I reminded him of his telling me of the Moving War Memorial. Sometimes, I said, heartburn has a root cause of fear. He was quiet for a couple minutes then said, “Like the Ranger Memorial?” “ maybe.”
Two days after that visit President Trump named that day as a memorial for Vietnam Veterans. I called John to tell him about that. He told me the heartburn was gone. I don’t know if he ever went to Pittsburg. He sounded jovial and I could hear another male voice in the background. He said they were planning the annual catfish derby. I asked – mock aghast ”the dirty Susquehanna River?” “We only fish in the clean part.” And the soldier in the background, John and I laughed.