Fertile Seeds

The winding country road seemed barren this morning as the old farm truck made its way to the edge of the city for some storm preparation shopping. A crowded parking lot rendered evidence that I was not alone in a last minute quest for storm ready staples. With a list in hand the aisles were navigated with single minded intent. So many of the employees are familiar and each expressed a welcoming hello. Since school was cancelled in anticipation of the coming snow storm, there was no poverty of youngsters shouting requests to parents or guardians. I laughed out loud as one little boy announced to his mother; “Mama, I know what I want now – a box of ice cream cones.” As we grow older some things seem to remain the same. We see an item or hear about a venue and suddenly we are sure then of what we want. Sometimes what we desire is beyond our reach, even though we’ve had it before. Freedom from the burden of PD is a heartfelt desire and there are moments when the experience is almost realized. Suddenly or sometimes slowly the symptoms reemerge and one is reminded that freedom was temporary or short lived. Nevertheless, we are thankful for those moments that become hours and ultimately days when marginal, if not full, freedom from the confines of disease are experienced. A grateful heart is the seed from which the desire for symptom free living grows. Symptom treatment and prophylactic exercise provide the nutrients for that growth. My pot of thankfulness was filled with fertile seeds this morning!