Thursday, February 24, 2022

Climbing out of the Pit


 

I'm sharing suggestions that have helped me in the past week of despair.

Daughter had read a nugget somewhere and shared it with me.

Every morning before contemplating the day, take a look around me and focus on how hard it would be to live without something. Not for long. Just enough to recognize its loss if it happened.

So I've been doing this and am astonished at all I take for granted in my life and don't really see. Gratitude lists are grand but less meaningful when one lumps stuff together.

I mentioned this to a friend I met with during the week as she had been full of angst and depression herself. So we agreed to share our item of acknowledgement in text first thing in the morning before the day got a hold of us.

My first day was independent living, thinking of my dear friend Lana in her assisted living life. I looked around my apartment and felt this rush of appreciation.

My second day was books. I am a voracious reader and would find it just about impossible to live without them. 

My third day was my doctor, who has been an incredible support in the past two years when I needed medical attention and care the most. He goes beyond the call of care and concern. He has a gift of intuition, endless time, and humour. For instance - I have shaky underperforming kidneys and yesterday, without prompting, he assured me yet again that I would not need dialysis in my lifetime as age, for once, was in my favour. So I said to him my obit should read - "it was not her kidneys that killed her?" And we laughed. I don't know what I'd do without him.

So there you have it. A tiny tool that seems to work for navigating these days of worry and stress and helplessness and anxiety. And a looming war as the icing on the cake.

Thank you all for the wonderful words of support and kinship on my last post. I savoured every single comment many times.  

No longer alone.


25 comments:

  1. I'm so pleased to read today's offering and see you've "come up." I think the concept of choosing one thing a day it would be difficult to live without around you is one I'll try. At any rate, I'm happy for you. Enjoy the day. Hugs.

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    1. Thank you Regina, I am aware you've had many challenges also as we age. The one thing brings it closer to what if we lost it.

      XO
      WWW

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  2. I love your gratitude offerings. I do the same thing each morning, but I just keep going as I move through my day. I am grateful for running water and indoor plumbing and a bathroom two steps from my bed. I'm thankful for hot water. All the kitties get a pat of gratitude because they keep me moving, for which I'm also grateful. There is a full larder and good coffee...the thanks just keep going until at night, when I am so tired, I am happy to see my bed again and grateful for a place to lay my head because so many do not have that luxury.

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    1. I find gratitude lists don't do it for me, DKZ. Just the one thing which I focus on during the day in little mental exercises. It sharpens the awareness of what the loss of that one thing would mean.

      XO
      WWW

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  3. Thats a very interesting way to re-think gratitude! I like it.
    We have a wonderful doctor, as well. I don't need to see him opften but when I do, he's just marvellous

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    1. I never take mine for granted Kylie. He has saved my life. I recognize that so few can say this. I've also had the ones with the revolving door attitude which can be utterly depressing.

      XO
      WWW

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  4. That is a wonderful strategy and you are indeed fortunate to have a doctor who treats you with kindness as well as acumen. And that rose sauce sounds most interesting. Hugs!

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    1. Every day is something new, which really, really helps. Yes, tortellini with that rose is amazing.

      XO
      WWW

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  5. I thought of things that now live within my eyesight: coffee maker and toaster. Then books. Thanks for the list; I shall broaden my outlook.

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    1. Yes, it really helps when we are slumped over in hopelessness. A little thing every day to remind us of what a loss would be. I went to the ocean yesterday and just sat there and thought: what would I do without the gift of this ozone and the sound of the waves?
      XO
      WWW

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  6. That is a good idea to think of a thing each day that we would miss. I right away thought of electricity. Light in the darkness.

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    1. Perfect Terra. It is a gift. Even gas for my car. Not worrying about the cost as so many others do.

      XO
      WWW

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  7. I'm in the habit of looking around each day and thinking at least I have a home, food and clothes. I'm not homeless and living in a cardboard box.

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    1. So true River, I just sort those into one thing. Food, in my freezer, in my pantry, in my fridge and I think of Ukraine and the horrors they are experiencing.

      XO
      WWW

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  8. This is a good climbing helper. Thank you.

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  9. That is an interesting exercise. Will try too.

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    1. It's amazing how focusing it can be, just the one thing and meditating on it. The loss of it.

      XO
      WWW

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  10. Good advice. Do you read May Sarton? She has this wonderful poem called The Work of Happiness. It is simple but beautiful; I pinned a copy to my office wall to remind me to count my blessings.

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    1. I've read every piece of work by May Sarton Elle. Her aging years were so generous to share all the challenges we face and whine a bit. What a brilliant write and poet.

      XO
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  11. You do seem to have a wonderful doctor, who as you say goes beyond the standard care and concern. Glad to hear you won't need all the shenanigans of kidney dialysis.

    I constantly give thanks for all the good things in my life, and how much good luck I've had. I never take anything for granted.

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    1. The universe has been kind to so many of us Nick, though we've had many stumbles along the way. I feel like a cat sometimes with all 9 lives used up.

      XO
      WWW

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  12. That's an excellent idea. I'll be giving it a try.
    xoxox Kate

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    1. It really works Kate. Just the one item a day and savour it.

      XO
      WWW

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  13. That's a wonderful suggestion. I should do the same!

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