April 30--Respect for Nature

If you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it full speed. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good.  --Roald Dahl

    Let's give a huge round of applause and thanks to my next-door neighbor, who mowed our lawn last evening. It was quite furry. Her comment afterwards was "your yard is big!" 😀 

    Here are some powerful words from Brian McLaren, regarding creatures of the natural world and our relationship with them:

I have to respect their space. To me, this kind of respecting of space is a part of friendship. We have a term for people who don’t respect boundaries: We call them narcissists. They’re always impeding and crossing boundaries to take advantage of us. We humans tend to have a narcissistic relationship with our fellow creatures, but there’s an option for generous friendship that creates a kind of reverence, respect, and enjoyment.

I think this is one of our real struggles with the natural world, of which we are a part. We’re so used to being in control of things that when the natural world demands legitimate respect from us, we think it’s being hostile. This is part of our current life curriculum as human beings—to learn appropriate respect after centuries and centuries of domination. It’s parallel to what people with privilege need to learn—whether it’s white privilege, male privilege, or the privilege of the rich. Privileged people are so used to acting in domineering ways that when you ask them to show proper respect, they feel they’re being deprived or persecuted. But this respect is something we need and it’s a matter of survival right now for us to learn it.

    I'm thinking that respect is something we might ponder more deeply and apply more frequently.

        Leta

Tasmanian Devil

April 29--Enjoy a Kiss, or Several!

You should be kissed and often, by someone who knows how. 
--Margaret Mitchell

    What a lovely idea!

        Leta

Here you go... not my lips!!
(from Google images)

April 28--I Love My Bed!

What she had realized was that love was that moment when your heart was about to burst.  --Stieg Larsson

    Progress is happening. I actually slept in my bed last night, and I slept till 6:30am! I have been sleeping in a recliner for weeks and routinely waking up at 5:00am. It is a treat to wake up to daylight! And, when I had Barney out in the backyard last evening, I did some weeding and it didn't hurt. My garden is a weedy mess. It will take some time to make a full weeding pass, but every little bit helps both the garden and my mental state. I also did two sets of my stretching and strengthening exercises. I am motivated!

    It's time for another PT appointment and more progress!

        Leta

More Bali beauty

April 27--There Are Bright Spots

Love is a striking example of how little reality means to us.  --Marcel Proust

    I had an extremely rough start yesterday, hence the short post with a black hole picture. I made myself go swimming, and while slogging through that, intuitive nagging (Spirit's nudge) indicated that I should make a list of positives in my life. So here goes, admittedly done with a bit of crankiness:

• I have started physical therapy with two-times-daily stretching and strengthening exercises. 
• It could always be worse. 
• My husband is well and taking good care of me and our family. 
• I don't have a terminal illness, cancer, anything long-term-horrible.
• I am able to walk short distances. 
• I'm not having any bowel or bladder difficulties with this nerve impingement. (TMI, sorry)
• I am able to swim. 
• I have Cubs baseball and NBA playoffs to entertain me, as well as the occasional Jeopardy show and nature documentary. 
• I am able to do laundry.
• I am improving, even if I can't see it at the moment. 
• I have an angel dog Barney to keep me company, and he stays by my side so sweetly.
• I have a friend who is a dog sitter-walker and she is walking Barney everyday for me while my husband is away.
• My husband left me lots of good leftovers so it's easy for me to feed myself.
• I am enjoying my spiritual practice time even if I cry through it.
• I am able to go up and down stairs comfortably, which is helping to strengthen my legs.
• I have friends who are checking on me and inviting me to things to help save my sanity.
• I now have a good cane for walking, which doesn't hurt my hand and wrist like the walking stick did.
• I have my blankie to comfort me.
• Each day I am one day closer to my husband returning home.
• I have cut way back on pain meds.   
• My soul is getting very well rinsed. (Crying = soul-rinsing)
• I have M&Ms!

    The quote below came in an email from my PT office. No. 1 is Keep Moving. 

2. Continue Pain Free Activities -- Many people with pain initially limit their activity because they are afraid to cause additional damage. As mentioned above, staying active is very important in your recovery. We would like you to keep doing as much as you can do without increasing pain. The severity of pain doesn't always match the level of damage; with that in mind be conscious of pain, but don't let it scare you.

    That's the biggie I'm dealing with right now--fear. This is a helpful reminder. 

    Progress, not perfection...

        Leta

Indigenous art near Uluru, Australia 

April 26--Too Frustrated for Words

Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.  --Bertrand Russell

    I just erased everything I had written. I'm still here, still very frustrated, making it one hour at a time. 

        Leta

A black hole

April 25--Plugging Along

The madness of love is the greatest of heaven's blessings.  --Plato

    So another morning, nearly three weeks in a row now, I started off crying due to pain. It is wearing on me. I dread going to sleep knowing that the morning is going to be hell. Affirmations of "deep and restful sleep, awaking pain-free" are not working. At this point I'm feeling like affirmations and positive thinking are complete bullshit. The Universe is laughing at them. 

    I started physical therapy yesterday, scheduled for twice a week for six weeks. I am very motivated to get my strength back. I have a good set of stretching exercises to do, plus I will add MELT and core work to the process. The therapist encouraged me to continue swimming, which I shall do. I have scheduled assorted dates with friends to get me out of the house. Cubs baseball and the NBA playoffs are keeping me entertained. I'm continuing the morning meditation practice I experienced in Bali. 

    "This, too, shall pass"--a life-saving reminder.

        Leta 

From a mural in 
Christchurch, New Zealand

April 24--A Simple Reminder

Whatever you're meant to do, do it now. The conditions are always impossible. 
--Doris Lessing

    Writing feels impossible this morning, so I'll leave you with this reminder that I keep front and center in my Google Drive:

    One hour at a time,

        Leta