icnmgrjill
11-23-2005, 10:39 AM
(One of my favorite writers in the IC community is Frannie Rose, who writes wonderful, life affirming columns for patients who are trying to live life with a chronic illness. I love her hope, her encouragement and her peacefulness. Here's a special column she's written just for Thanksgiving. Enjoy! - Jill)
"Life Raft of the Month" - Thanksgiving Edition
By Frannie Rose
"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. " -Meister Eckhart
The day is almost upon us; the day we give thanks for everything in our lives. It is a day that has been happening for all of our lives that in the past many of us took for granted. Today, as you read this and sit here with me, lets think about how important this day is now to you.
I am sure there have been other times in your life, when you have been happier. And times in your life when you had more in your basket. And no doubt there have been times in your life when you have been healthier.....Am I right? So what makes this Thanksgiving so special? What makes it one worth celebrating? One worth giving extra thought to?
As I look out my window, I see snow covered mountains. The beauty of each peak is so clear to me. The clouds are a vibrant etching in the sky, even with the dullest of grays, I can see them like they are touchable, graspable, like I can put them in my pocket and walk off with them. They are so real to me. The beauty of those clouds I may never have seen before in my life. The beauty of the mountain scene right outside my window, is something that before my illness, I rarely acknowledged.
And right now, its just me and the clouds, and my pen writing this. Yes, I have my illness to deal with all the time. Yes, money is always a problem. Yes, my medications are expensive, and I wish I were more active. Yes, I have pain and I dont feel well. But tell me, would I see and revere the mountains so, if I were well and running around functioning every single second? My answer is no. I would not. I wouldnt have the time. I wouldnt have the mindset. I wouldnt be living in the Now the way I am today.
Its become a cliche about enjoying "the journey" in most people's lives. But yet for us it is true. To us it is so much more meaningful than it ever was before. Our journeys contain much discomfort, but we also see the sunlight. We can sit in a room and see the beauty in the light reflected in ways we never had time to before. And in our lives we have the opportunity to think out our thoughts carefully and completely, to feel our feelings thoroughly with all the infinite possibilities between high and low, to feel love deeply and return it in kind. We have the time and the patience to see our lives fully, and live each moment in the present.
Yes, this Thanksgiving is bittersweet. But as we walk through life, we learn much of life is for everyone. We can see the sadness in our adversities or the flip side which always provides opportunities. We can see the people who have abandoned us, or we can see those who have stuck by us. Its merely in the way that we look at things. Its merely in what we want to call "the journey.
On Thanksgiving, take a moment to give thanks to the flip side of your adversities. Spend a moment thinking about your doctor, and how he has tried to help you, spend time admiring your family, who have stuck with you through these uncertain times, look at your partner, and think about how their life may have been different, but they chose to be with you, to stand by you, and friends who stay true to you. Look at life, how the sun never disappoints you in the morning, and the blossoms always come in the springtime.
It's Thanksgiving my dear friends. Send a card to your doctor, your loved ones, your support system, and give them thanks. Its time to look at what you have instead of what you have not.
Rejoice in the infinite possibilities that await you. And learn to find the flip side from your wondrous journey to healing.
With peace and love,
Frannie
Read more Frannie columns at: http://www.ic-network.com/frannie/
"Life Raft of the Month" - Thanksgiving Edition
By Frannie Rose
"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. " -Meister Eckhart
The day is almost upon us; the day we give thanks for everything in our lives. It is a day that has been happening for all of our lives that in the past many of us took for granted. Today, as you read this and sit here with me, lets think about how important this day is now to you.
I am sure there have been other times in your life, when you have been happier. And times in your life when you had more in your basket. And no doubt there have been times in your life when you have been healthier.....Am I right? So what makes this Thanksgiving so special? What makes it one worth celebrating? One worth giving extra thought to?
As I look out my window, I see snow covered mountains. The beauty of each peak is so clear to me. The clouds are a vibrant etching in the sky, even with the dullest of grays, I can see them like they are touchable, graspable, like I can put them in my pocket and walk off with them. They are so real to me. The beauty of those clouds I may never have seen before in my life. The beauty of the mountain scene right outside my window, is something that before my illness, I rarely acknowledged.
And right now, its just me and the clouds, and my pen writing this. Yes, I have my illness to deal with all the time. Yes, money is always a problem. Yes, my medications are expensive, and I wish I were more active. Yes, I have pain and I dont feel well. But tell me, would I see and revere the mountains so, if I were well and running around functioning every single second? My answer is no. I would not. I wouldnt have the time. I wouldnt have the mindset. I wouldnt be living in the Now the way I am today.
Its become a cliche about enjoying "the journey" in most people's lives. But yet for us it is true. To us it is so much more meaningful than it ever was before. Our journeys contain much discomfort, but we also see the sunlight. We can sit in a room and see the beauty in the light reflected in ways we never had time to before. And in our lives we have the opportunity to think out our thoughts carefully and completely, to feel our feelings thoroughly with all the infinite possibilities between high and low, to feel love deeply and return it in kind. We have the time and the patience to see our lives fully, and live each moment in the present.
Yes, this Thanksgiving is bittersweet. But as we walk through life, we learn much of life is for everyone. We can see the sadness in our adversities or the flip side which always provides opportunities. We can see the people who have abandoned us, or we can see those who have stuck by us. Its merely in the way that we look at things. Its merely in what we want to call "the journey.
On Thanksgiving, take a moment to give thanks to the flip side of your adversities. Spend a moment thinking about your doctor, and how he has tried to help you, spend time admiring your family, who have stuck with you through these uncertain times, look at your partner, and think about how their life may have been different, but they chose to be with you, to stand by you, and friends who stay true to you. Look at life, how the sun never disappoints you in the morning, and the blossoms always come in the springtime.
It's Thanksgiving my dear friends. Send a card to your doctor, your loved ones, your support system, and give them thanks. Its time to look at what you have instead of what you have not.
Rejoice in the infinite possibilities that await you. And learn to find the flip side from your wondrous journey to healing.
With peace and love,
Frannie
Read more Frannie columns at: http://www.ic-network.com/frannie/