Back when my parents came to visit, I took them up to the Convent of St Odile, patroness of the Alsace region. Among her many attributes, Odile is reputed to be the go-to gal for those suffering eye maladies.
In fact, there is a spring just below the convent, flowing from the mountainside at a spot that Odile struck with her staff. The faithful come here to wash their eyes with this miraculous water, in the hopes of staving astigmatisms, glaucoma and floaters.*
My Mom has been extremely nearsighted since birth, and has worn Coke-bottle lenses all her life. When we were there, I jokingly suggested she give the spring a try. She refused, but my Dad, never passing up an opportunity to annoy her, got his fingers wet and flicked some at her.
Three months later, and my Mom will soon, for the first time in her life, have nearly 20/20 vision, thanks to laser-eye surgery and fortuitous openings in the surgical waiting list. Coincidence? Mom thinks so, but my Dad seemed somewhat disturbed when I informed him that he was obviously an agent of God’s Will.
* First time I visited, I filled my water bottle with it. My stomach has never looked better.
5 comments:
That's definitely a really cool place. We went hiking around the mountaintop there last April. Didn't blog about that trip, though I did take a few pictures.
Good pictures! I've been out there a few times - it's on the tour I give people when they visit, but I've never brought my camera when we've had good weather. Still haven't done the entire pagan wall circuit either.
Maybe your dad should have gon ethe priest route!
Mark, that's so cool. As a proud laser surgery recipient, I know your Mom is going to LOVE it!! Seriously, it really is a miracle to someone like me who wore thick glasses since the first grade. I still wake up in the morning and go, "Where's the blur?"
~B
Good stuff!
The patron saint of damaged eyeballs.
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