Our New Column, Chronically Heathen

Chronically Heathen explores how disabled Heathens negotiate our inner and outer worlds. Disabled heathens write these stories about issues related to the disabled heathen experience. We are not doctors and cannot give medical advice or recommendations. 

What is Lazy?

Frau Holle and Disability

by Juniper

As a disabled person, especially as a disabled person with fatigue issues, I often get asked why I focus my practice so heavily on Frau Holle. Famously, Frau Holle rewards hard work and punishes the lazy. Surely, as someone who has limited ability to work, I would fear her judgment. But what is laziness to Frau Holle? 

In modern capitalist society, laziness is usually seen simply as the absence of productivity. Any time spent resting? Laziness. Any time spent focusing on yourself? Laziness. Hard work is also defined by productivity. Helping your neighbor bring groceries inside is hardly regarded as hard work, because you gain nothing financial from it. Playing peek-a-boo with your child, giving them stimulation and human contact, is hardly seen as hard work either. In fact, most housework or other tasks classically considered “women’s work” are heavily devalued by this definition. 

Not only is Frau Holle the goddess of “women’s work”, Frau Holle’s most well known story also heavily discounts this definition of laziness and hard work. 

In Grimm’s Mother Holle, the “beautiful and industrious” girl helps those around her with no thought of reward. She stops the bread from burning, helps the apples get off the tree simply because they asked her to, and helps Mother Holle with housework in exchange for room and board. None of those things are particularly hard to do for the industrious girl, what is important is that she does them simply because others needed it. She did not need to work until her fingers bled, she did not need to work until she dropped, she simply gave what she comfortably could to those around her. And for those actions, Mother Holle rewarded her with gold. 

In contrast, the “ugly and lazy” girl refused to give help to those around her out of selfish and mean reasons. She would not help the burning bread, for it could dirty her hands. She would not help the pleading apples, for fear of one falling on her head. She simply accepted room and board from Mother Holle, without giving promised work in return. When warned about this behavior, the lazy girl rejoiced because she would be closer to getting the gold. Instead, after she waved away the warning and simply wished to leave, the lazy girl was given tar for her troubles. 

If all I can do in a day is get up and support those around me with a kind word, would that not be in Frau Holle’s image? Frau Holle’s worship is not about working until your fingers bleed or grinding on an impressive project at an impressive job. Frau Holle’s worship is about doing what you can for those around you, without expecting something in return. Taking the time I need to rest and the time I need to support myself is not laziness. Industriousness does not have to come at a personal cost, despite what capitalism tells us. If you support others when you can simply because the support is needed, then you are living in Frau Holle’s image.

But this only explains why I do not fear Frau Holle’s judgement, not why I actively seek her out. Frau Holle does not just reward hard work, she inspires the ability to do hard work. Being disabled comes with significantly extra labor: doctors appointments, greedy insurance companies, community self-advocacy, physical therapy, and other self care. This labor is never ending. No matter how much I manage to complete, there is always even more necessary. And letting things slide for a moment could cause thousand dollar bills or a hospital trip. 

Take hydration. Due to my ileostomy, I lose water at an alarming rate. If I do not constantly replenish my supply, severe dehydration and even a trip to the hospital can hit very quickly. That being said, drinking some extra water should be simple, right? For an able-bodied person, I am sure it would be. But for me, the work of drinking extra water means extra pain and extra fatigue. Being vertical is painful and exhausting, but you can’t exactly grab a glass of water while lying down. What would be simple to the average person takes significant effort and prior planning for me. 

Every day, when I have tea with Frau Holle, I make sure to wash and refill my giant water bottle that I keep beside my bed. I also do my daily physical therapy and ensure I have all necessary medical supplies. What would be a very difficult set of tasks are now a sacred activity in honor of Frau Holle. Not only do I not fear Frau Holle’s judgement, I know she is constantly rooting me on to complete the tasks I need to survive. 

Being disabled does not make me lazy, especially not in the eyes of Frau Holle. Remember, as much as our modern definitions of life seem universal, they are far from that. Capitalism and our obsession with productivity is a rather new invention in the scheme of human existence. If it feels right to you, do not be dissuaded from pursuing a relationship with a power just because of the biased interpretations of others.