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Today Is a Good Day
How, you may ask, do I know that today will be a good day? The day is still young! Ah, you see, your problem is that you are describing a future that I haven’t experienced. If I were describing the future, you would have a legitimate beef. But I wasn’t describing the future; I was describing this moment of this day, and it is precious.
Yesterday overall was not an especially good day, although I always appreciate being able to honor the Sabbath. But I tend to get bogged down on days when I have a lot of pain. When opening a pickle jar that’s previously been opened, or even opening the refrigerator is taxing, I get very frustrated. I spend many moments feeling sorry for myself and seeing a dark future stretching in front of me.
But I also realized yesterday that there were steps I could take to empower myself, to override my self-pity and discomfort. Next week I will contact my G.P., whom I respect and trust, and tell him I need to meet with a specialist on arthritis and see if he can recommend anyone. I want that specialist to confirm the diagnosis of my pain, its source, and other steps I can take to mitigate the pain. I want to know if the food I’m eating could be exacerbating my condition, if the exercises I’m doing are the most helpful or are hindering me, and if there are medications that I can take that will work better than extra strength Tylenol. Maybe I will need to meet with a few doctors, but I’m tired of passively slogging through my life.
I may discover that my doctor has been spot on with his diagnosis and advice. There may be nothing else I can do than what I am already doing. But I will be taking charge of my circumstances, and I hope that if I learn that there’s nothing else to be done, I can rest in the fact that I took the initiative to confirm what I know.
There are times in my life when I have come to terms with situations and learned to simply live with them. I think of the estrangement from my sister; the loss of friends and loved ones; the creeping disappointments of simply getting older. (Please notice that I didn’t say getting “old”!) I try to be realistic about what life is presenting to me, and find a productive and preferably positive way to frame it. That’s not always easy to do, but to fight the truth and protest my situation is a waste of precious energy. I much prefer to allow the blessings direct my reality and find a nook where I can stow the difficulties. They still will exist, but just out of sight.
In addition, each day is unique, and presents blessings and obstacles. How I approach each day, whether with trepidation and enthusiasm, makes all the difference. Let the day unfold as it will, but I will try to give it all the help I can.
Blessings abound and call to be embraced.
Passive acceptance simply won’t do.
Published in Culture
At 76, I feel that life is becoming a continual job like the ongoing maintenance of my first car.
This was the summer I was going to build up to a 10 mi walk per day and have my back looked at by a specialist (I broke it when I was fifteen and of all the things I did back then, it is the only thing really bothering me)
Unfortunately, the walking aggravated a pin that was part of the repair of my ankle done 5 years ago. That led to another surgery in June and a new round of physical therapy. It was during the latest round of therapy that my wife called with a message from the Doctor about bad results from a blood test and I had to explain to the therapist that I had to stop and go to the emergency room. That led to another stay in the hospital.
So I guess the moral of the story is that your plans for your body are just that … plans.
The good news is that I am back up to a mile walking per day and feeling much better.
Now, about my back.
The other good news is that I can still sit in the rocking chair in the sun and watch the birds and deer across the field.
I hope you find some relief from the arthritis. In the mean time, a rocking chair in the sun does wonders for one’s attitude.
This is wonderful, WS. You’ve certainly had your share of challenges, and you just keep powering along! Well done.
I would love to hear other stories of people’s triumphs over aging and pain difficulties.
I have very few bad days. That is because how I define a bad day. You are having a bad day if:
And yes, that means I have had three bad days in my life. The rest may not have been great days or even good days, but they are not bad days.
I love this comment, Seawriter! Fortunately I haven’t had “bad” days as traumatic as yours; it looks I need to work on my re-framing skills. It’s all a matter of perspective, isn’t it?
It is. The bad days make you really appreciate the good and great days. Even the not bad days.
Many thanks, Seawriter, your post helps me keep things in perspective.
Yeah, I’m sitting here thinking, “A case of the shingles? That’s not a bad day.” It gets me laughing.
Pour me one, too, Doug! I hope that was poured after your surgery!
That’s the same guy who came up with the Serenity Prayer.
There are two types of bad days. Seawriter described the first kind. They are instantly traumatic and bad enough to give us perspective when we have temporary problems to be endured.
The other kind of bad days are what Susan described. They seem minor to the above but have a cumulative effect over time as they nibble away at our quality of life.
Those who live a long life will experience both.
Well said, RH. Thank you.
Thanks for the thought, but at least part of the blood test results was Liver related.
Just the picture may be enough to send me back for more testing :-)
I love the stone wall behind you.
I may write a post later because I am wondering if God is trying to tell me something with my most recent little health thing.
But mostly I’m praying the doctors are able to give you definitive answers and your pain is able to be soothed.
I’d like to see your story, Bill. Health issues can challenge our faith.
“You are not physically immortal. All things of this world will pass.”
The average age of humans has risen a lot in the last century. Life was hard and bodies wore out sooner. Modern medicine has done a lot to extend our lives so we now live long enough now to get the aches, pains, and cancers that come with aging. Our bodies were not designed to be eternal. Humanity, like everything else, needs to be refreshed with younger living things. This is true of all God’s creatures.
Yup. And when the time comes to check out, I hope to be able to do it with some measure of grace. Then, who knows…maybe I’ll get some answers, as Travis McGee thought would happen.
I wish I could reframe my situation so that I could take the pain as a matter of course. I think I’ve shown a high pain tolerance in the past, but I’m getting worn out–literally and figuratively. I’m blessed to be able to live this long, so I hope there is just a little relief in sight, or an attitude change must happen. Thanks for your perspective, RH.
Find ways to laugh. I’m still laughing with Seawriter’s definition of what constitutes a bad day. I can look at my problems and laugh with that in mind.
Arthritis has pretty much ended my flute playing. I will go to rehearsal Thursday when the new season starts even though I can’t play in the first concert (unable to make enough rehearsals this fall). I stick with it because I enjoy listening to the music from on the stage during concerts rather than from the audience. I can no longer play measures with too many notes. I survive a one hour concert better than a two hour rehearsal, where my joints start to become swollen. Yet, the music seems worth it and my stubbornness helps me persevere. It sometimes frustrates me to live through the decline in my flute playing, but I accept it. As they say, “it is what it is.”
My husband deals with it, too. We have adjusted our lifestyles so he can sleep in if needed because he had trouble falling asleep the night before.
That must be incredibly disappointing. But your example describes an excellent way to reframe and work with the situation. Stubbornness can go a long way!
Jerry has a great sense of humor and we both can help each other that way. I just need to find more opportunities to laugh! Thanks, A.
https://ricochet.com/1488338/sigourney-memes-alien/
Thanks, Arahant. Mark is a regular staple of my morning routine.
Agree. A sense of humor is a must. I have to have one in karate, too. Normally, I don’t do the tripping, falling, throwing stuff but gave it a shot last Thursday. He had a drill on how to deal with an attacker if you are on your back after being thrown. You must grab his arms then shove your feet under his stomach, pick him up and throw him over your head. My attempts were humorous. (The person attacking learns how to tuck his head in so it becomes a tumbling somersault. Lots of kids in the 6:15 class love this stuff.)
I accept I might only get one more belt, a purple one, and maybe a brown one, but a black belt might be too much even though I do black belt katas. I accept my limitations, get out of it what I can, and laugh it off when I can’t. It keeps my joints limber and helps with balance. I started doing it when taking my youngest to class. Taking it seemed a better alternative than sitting on the sidelines watching. Now, there are parents sitting on the sidelines watching their kids and me while I am living life to its fullest, even though “fullest” isn’t what it used to be.
Yes, cultivating a sense of humor is vital. To quote Mr Bennett, “For what do we live, but to make sport of our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?”
You absolutely nailed it. It is our greatest challenge to stay in the moment. But when we do — when we’re able — we find peace and contentment.
(I pray your GP and you find a way to relieve your pain.)