Season of waiting

Waiting is something we all do most of the time.  There always seems to be a reason to wait.  Some reasons are good, some are scary, some are long, some short, and the list goes on.  The end of February marks the transition from Winter to Spring.  There is much waiting in the stillness of this delicate time. 

I am anxious to see the first signs of Spring in my yard when my purple crocuses pop their cuteness up from the cold ground saying happily, "We are here!  We are here!  We know you missed us!"  Indeed, I have.

For now, I will try and wait patiently to allow nature to unfold in its due time.  I know waiting can be awkward and uncomfortable in many circumstances, but there can be joy in the waiting if we choose to look for it.  Much of life calls for the acceptance of both/and instead of strictly either/or.  Let's allow space for both/and in the waiting to feel the loving

mercy and goodness of our Creator. 

John Tarrant, in The Light Inside the Darkness says,"We are waiting for the seasons to change for our time to come around, or that opening to appear in the Tao where we can walk through and touch somebody.  Whereas if we had moved before, everything would have been wrong---no point, no effect.  Sometimes the right thing to do is wait...you should enjoy yourself and eat and drink and be of good cheer.  We do not need to be dour because we are in tune with the seasons."

I wish all of you peaceful and patient waiting
in all of your circumstances no matter how easy or
difficult they may be.

Storm preparedness

"Quick, get ready!  The next Winter storm is rapidly approaching," says our local TV meteorologist.  With that warning, people take heed and run to the nearby grocery mart to stock up on bottled water, milk, bread, and any other essentials necessary to survive.   To be honest, our state of CT has not been really experiencing much in the way of bad Winter weather this year.  However, the way the weather gets updated every ten minutes on the news, each snowflake gets coverage.  I feel they go a tad overboard.

I do prize our state for being prepared with sand trucks on the roads as well as providing school delays and closings in a timely manner.  This is safety first which matters for everyone.  This year we are getting more sleet and ice over snow accumulation.  However, February is not over and neither is Winter.  There is still room for a doozy blizzard.

While other people are preparing for the impending storm, I am running around getting ready myself but in a different way.  First, I do NOT need a paid TV meteorologist to tell me about a storm front moving in.  My head and body shout that news quite well, thank you very much.  Twenty-four to forty-eight hours in advance I experience body aches, chills, vertigo, and a very grouchy head.  An oppressive fatigue takes over, and I move no faster than a sloth.  I feel absolutely awful which makes it difficult to get a million little things done.  My mind can't process well either. (Heck, this is nothing new!)  My husband and I know the drill by now, so we just jump into that as early as the first signs and symptoms.

While others are buying batteries and bottled water, I am assembling my tool kit for surviving storms with chronic M.  This bag of tricks consists of :

water and or ginger ale to keep hydrated and help calm my queasy tummy
ice pack for head and neck
herbal warmer for body, especially feet
healthy snacks with protein and low carb to easily digest
appropriate M meds to deal with the attack
peppermint oil for comfort
biofreeze roll on to ease stiff shoulders and neck

Over the years I have learned what has been helpful or not so that I could have a "go to" list and have it handy without thinking about it too much. After I jump around finishing chores and food prep, I settle down and get my body quiet to wait it out...

The barometric pressure change is the culprit, but mainly it is how fast it changes, not necessarily the number itself.  When it fluctuates too quickly, all heck breaks out.  The cold temps really affect me which is why I stay indoors with my heated herbal bunny. My head hates wind and cold no matter how many layers I wear. Thank goodness I never was a winter sport person!  At least I feel I can take some control over the situation with how I  manage my self care.

Many of my family and friends who live with M.S., chronic fatigue syndrome,  arthritis, asthma, and many other immune issues experience these troublesome symptoms when the weather changes, no matter the season. Facing the storm head on emotionally gets me to a place of acceptance while preparing myself as best I can.  For those of you in the same storm boat, I understand and am with you.

Why can't I get paid for predicting the weather?  That would be nice!  For now, it is what it is. I feel lucky to at least take some walks around my development if the temps are above freezing.  These walks can be refreshing especially if I am recovering from a M attack.  I am mindful of the sun glare which in Winter can be intense.  My normal sunglasses don't help much, so I limit my time outdoor.  All is manageable for the most part. 

  Stay warm and safe throughout the remainder of this Winter season, and I hope all of you can even enjoy some quality time outside.  When necessary I will sip my hot coffee inside and be thankful I persevered yet another Winter storm.