adjective
1.
2.
3. void or without legal force, as a contractdeficient in substance or cogency; weak.
However, pronounced differently, it becomes:
noun
1.
an infirm or sickly person.
2.
a person who is too sick or weak to care for himself or herself: My father was an invalid the last ten years of his life.
3.
Archaic . a member of the armed forces disabled for active service.
This would insinuate that an invalid is an invalid human being. Would you think they are? It's a little harsh, but one of the nine noble virtues of Asatru is self-reliance; an invalid certainly cannot be self-reliant. By the very definition, they are reliant on someone else for their care. In ancient societies, having an invalid to care for may have been a such a liability that no amount of love or compassion could overcome it. If the choice was to feed your child or your dying grandmother, you'd want to give the food to the one most likely to survive. We like to think we no longer have to make such rough choices, so we leave it up to charities and the government. Barnabus has been fighting for disability for 5 years, he has almost no cartilage in his right knee and is too young for a knee replacement (this means it is too painful for him to be able to even sit in one place for more than three hours without needing to lay down to stretch out his leg and his pain medicine makes him space-out; this means he cannot work). Now, due to relying on his cane, his right arm is becoming damaged, making him even less capable of work (or even helping out around the house). It's hard.
At least in modern society, he's not an invalid human being...well...until the Zombie Apocalypse, I think he would agree that his usefulness then might best be as a strategist...until the stronger are forced to leave him as a tasty distraction...
May you be blessed by whichever gods you fancy,
BellaDonna Saberhagen
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