Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
The gap between the life I’d envisioned and this current reality is widening… I need a bridge – not a short, low one, but a large, expansive bridge to carry all my wishes, to facilitate movement of passing ideals, allow for traffic flow. Or a bridge to slow me down, dialled in to the sun’s […]
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Squirrels, squirrels everywhere, chirping: “Get ready; be prepared”, hoarding their finds with relish treetop leaping with added zest. The geese are gathering too – like all good Canadians – making plans for the winter weighing the options for flight. Clouds gather to mark day’s end and the influx of autumn weather – and I […]
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Illness comes at a cost, yet even as the losses add up, there are gains. With the onset of summer, I recall leisurely hours spent golfing with my husband, or friends – a pastime we so loved. My clubs now take up residence elsewhere, these muscles unfit for the exertion required. My tennis racquet sits […]
Read MoreThe morning drizzle gave way to sunshine by noon and even though I’ve been tired today, I decide to take advantage of the clearing before retiring for the evening. I grab my camera and go in search of worthy images, but my legs are useless today, so I decide to sit instead, on a picnic […]
Read MoreThe buzzer on the dryer startles me and I jump up, eager to change over the wash, only to find I have forgotten to start the washer load. I feel a tug of annoyance at myself. I am not functioning well today. Have been awake since well before 4:00 a.m. and am wired with non-sleep. […]
Read MoreJen at Tripping Through Treacle has inspired me to rewrite my bucket list. Instead of focusing on loss, I can rethink my aspirations. I love it! This is a perfect activity for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis awareness month. Actually, I feel like I’ve just had a bucket list year. Thanks to my husband’s determination and constant willingness […]
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Fear is insidious; it creeps into the psyche and buries itself deep without any conscious effort. It manifests in anxiety, stalls progress, and threatens to define its host. Today, I did something I haven’t done in well over four years; I went for a walk in the woods, unattended. I took my camera and my […]
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“You seem to be doing better; are you going back to work?” Returning to work after time off due to flu, is expected. There might be a day or so of feeling weak, but it’s soon forgotten as the body springs back into action. Recovery from a debilitating illness, however, takes time. There are, according […]
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I’ve faced worse, I told myself when the diagnosis came; I’ll get through this too. And I believe it. Whatever it takes, I am committed. That doesn’t mean that the struggle is lessened in any way. The struggle is very real. It begins with knowing self. I’ve never been one to accept anything at face value. […]
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(The Story Circle Network published two of my pieces in their quarterly e-journal. The category is “True Words” and the following article plus my poem “Retirement” were both accepted. ) Dead Ends and Surprise Beginnings The emails started arriving the morning after I presented at the regional conference—invites and accolades validating my life’s passion. Here I […]
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One Woman's Quest II 