Being Staff

Sometimes I just read things wrong. When searching the web for information on the disabled guy who ended up as an Egyptian priest, I read one account that described the painting of him as being with a staff, and the oddest picture popped into my head.

In my minds eye, I saw an Egyptian priest on market day considering a purchase while a young staff says, "Now, Rom, do you REALLY think you need that papyrus?" I saw the staff's little nose curl up in disapproval as she insisted that he, "put it back, right now." Then I imagined the little staff making notes in a binder about how Rom needed prompting to deal with his inappropriate shopping behaviours at the market. "Bless Ra! I was here for him."

Even though I know that they were talking about a staff - a stick - a crutch like thing, I can't get the image of that little staff out of my mind. It makes me giggle.

So, I looked up the word 'staff' in the dictionary because it struck me odd, that this guy was helped along by this staff, and that we as staff are hired to help people along. Hmmm, could this be coincidence?

According to the Oxford Canadian Dictionary ... Second Edition, the word 'staff' has a variety of meanings but there are two conflicting ones. The first ...

those in authority

Gosh, that's scary. Even the dictionary gets that we have power and control issues with people in care! Our status as staff gives us an automatic step up the heirarchy of power in relationship to those in care. This may be one of the reasons why there is so much abuse of people with disabilities. The authority went the wrong way.

But there is another definition, one that really struck me. Took my breath away;

a person or thing that supports or sustains

That to me is wildly appropriate. For that Egyptian priest, his staff went where he went directed by him, it did what he needed as determined by him, he used it when he needed it and put it aside when he didn't. His staff wouldn't have done anything but support or sustain. It was blessedly silent so he wouldn't have to listen to its opinion. It was blessedly compliant so it managed to take direction without checking current policies and protocol. It was blessedly willing so he didn't have to beg to please, please, please, get me to the temple on time.

I'm beginning to see that stick, that ancient piece of wood as a role model.

What a great answer to the question, what do you do for a living?

I support and sustain.

That'll do it for me.