We did not all come over on the same ship, but we are all in the same boat. – Bernard Baruch
We human beings, irrespective of who we are, where we live, or what we do, have much more in common than we believe, know, understand…or, admit to; we are all in the same boat paddling through the stormy and calm seas of life.
Two irrefutable things to which we all are susceptible are disability and illness.
Regardless of race, color, creed, financial situation, or social status, these two afflictions forever remain nonpartisan.
Whether temporary or permanent, physical or mental, they are disruptive, distressful harbingers of Fear and his many children.
In my case, physical and mental illnesses, cerebellitis and bipolar disorder, respectively, have disabled and tried their best to subdue me; sometimes they have succeeded; sometimes they have failed.
As stated in previous blogs, poetry has helped to defend me from the fears that follow in the wake of disability and illness.
Another weapon in my arsenal is patience.
There were times when I actually thought that patience was a virtue that I possessed. Until I became disabled.
Cerebellitis was a rock that shattered that image. Patience has many meanings: endurance, perseverance, and fortitude. But mostly, it is waiting.
Waiting for the hiccups to stop; waiting for the catheter to come out; waiting for the results of the tests.
Waiting to recover. Waiting for answers. Waiting for God. – Excerpt from “I’m Afraid”
Patience, in my opinion, is never mastered; it is learned and lost, learned and lost. It is an eternal struggle to hold on to it.
But if you can embrace it for a while, it is a valuable weapon to possess.
I offer these thoughts for your consideration.
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The saga continues in my next blog.
Do Not Be Afraid!!!