These Hands | Journal Entry

This week's theme is These Hands:

Our hands are very important utensils.  They create, they work, they express, they feel, and they caress.  As a small child my hands created shapes out of play dough. In elementary school they struggled to learn cursive and created my first hand written poems. In middle school, my hands wrote diaries and began scrap booking. In high school they adorned freshly painted nails and typed stories and emails. In college, my hands processed over 80 words per minute and when I began working full time, these hands filed multiple real estate transactions.  When Ethan and I met, these hands were held by his and soon after, crafted our wedding invitations and decorations. These hands accepted our wedding vows by bearing a symbol of our marriage on that very special day. These hands cleaned our first apartment, made our first meals as a married couple, and signed my name to purchase our first home. These hands felt sweet doggy kisses from Addie through a kennel at the shelter before she was adopted, then they carried her from the car into our home. These hands record memories, provide an income, sustain me, caress my husband, communicate through technology and expressions, and one day, I hope these hands will hold our children, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren.

Ethan's hands hold a story all in their own... After a printing press accident when he was 19, he learned to value his hands and what they are capable of.  When I think about his hands, I can't help but think how they express his love for me. They hold me, touch me, soothe me.  His hands have a way of finding mine when we're together. His hands insulate pipes all day in extreme temperatures, bearing scars and blisters, yet come home each evening to pet Addie and prepare a meal for us.  His hands never fail to provide for us or do maintenance around our home.  His hands have created beautiful pieces of furniture, including a precious box to hold memories and two beautiful shelves in our living room which proudly display treasures from our travels. His hands are strong, secure, and catch me every time I fall. They brush away my tears after a bad day and they comfort me.  His hands fit perfectly over mine and I hope will one day help me hold our children, our grandchildren, and our great grandchildren.