weather
Unwanted, unplanned, and unwelcomed sleep disturbance has come to visit recently. Its arrival has been coincidental (as opposed to attributed to) with some odd changes in the weather. It has not been uncommon for a mid-summer’s dream weather to be overtaken by a winter’s freeze snap or for a bright sunny day to be whisked away by the cold and foreboding occupation of drizzling rain. March wind has insisted it not be forgotten and has bullied its way onto the landscape, stirring up pollen like sprinkled salt on an open wound. Whether weather or change in the clock, or some other contributor to altered sleep patterns, we hold steadfast to gratitude for another day of possibilities. Change is in the air and on the calendar and thankfulness is the plate upon which it is being served. This unwilling host to Parkinson’s finds that a generous serving of gratitude for what remains and what is to be gained provides satiation for this hungry soul. Fields of gratitude provide for the greater harvest! A different seed gives a change in harvest.
A breeze from the north carries the mist through the old chestnut tree as it sways in response. The weather is signaling a change as the early pangs of the fall season begin to arrive. Autumn will soon arrive bringing a kaleidoscope of forest leaves that will signal farewell to summer days of early morning and late evening sun. This early change requires only minor adjustments in daily routine. Soon we will see the need for even more adjustments to accommodate the changing clime. Likewise, changes in daily routine are required as the insidious disease called Parkinson’s insinuates itself more deeply into life’s experience. The inclination to not challenge self to move frequently and often seems to be accentuated at the arrival of cool and rainy days. Intention followed by action, however, frees the inclination to embrace another experience. Gratitude for the ability to engage movement that opens opportunities both today and tomorrow is the springboard to agility. Thankfulness is the well from which the thirst for joy is quenched.
A cool flow of air creates a comfortable reprieve from the hot and humid weather outside. Sunlight peeks through the cast of clouds holding in the heat and moisture from yesterday. Days filled with activities have given ample opportunities for exercising muscles and building stamina. Just trying to keep up with an eleven year old granddaughter stretches endurance sometimes to the limit for this aging boomer. The newest adventure will be bike riding on the trails by the river. Just a bit more practice for her controlling the bicycle downhill should have us ready for the challenges along the trail. A heart filled with gratitude generates energy for the adventures ahead. We will start slowly and build as we discover our capabilities to tackle the river trail challenges. Thankfulness lines the pathway upon which new adventures are exercised. We will discover the opportunities and the victories on this shared journey.
Ice glazes all upon which the rain had fallen as light illuminates the once dark sky. The worst of the freezing weather has passed as we look now to the dance of spring. Just as one must make plans to accommodate the relatively unfriendly arrival of winter weather, strategies to deal with unfriendly physical impediments must also be made. One cannot deny the arrival or presence of either nor is it wise to ignore the transient nature of each visitor. Change may bring challenge or relief. Either is best met by a heart strengthened with gratitude and cushioned in thankfulness for the Maker’s abiding mercy. Peace may be found as we relax by the stream of change. Thanks be to God for the shore of mercy upon which we stand!
Clouds boasting bright pink and lavender make a swath across the northern sky as the morning sun makes its appearance from the east. The stillness of the morning permeates the frost laden fields painting an almost surreal picture on nature’s canvas. The artistry signifies a change is on the way. Sun and scattered clouds will soon give way to a darker canopy of rain and snow. The change is inevitable and if comfort is to be maintained, accommodation must be made for its arrival. The change from activity midst tropical breezes and warm surroundings to that of colder and more foreboding climes requires accommodation as well. A change back to regular visits to the health and fitness club along with carefully executed stretching and flexing will restore this movement resistant body to one more adept at negotiating what non disease affected persons experience as normal movement. Blanketed with the embrace of gratefulness this thankful heart beats rhythms of joy at today’s opportunities. Let the victories begin!
Temperature swings of more than forty degrees and evening temperatures hovering below 0 degrees Fahrenheit have been the norm here at the farm for the last few days. Extra wood to stoke the fire and extra hay for bedding down the animals has served its purpose well to stave off the negative effects of nature’s mood variance. Apparently taking its cue from the weather, my “mood” has been leaping from one extreme to another as well. Frequent swings from anxiety to melancholy to insomnia to excessive drowsiness and back again have become an unwelcomed visitor. Reprieves have been gifted by visits from my corny sense of humor, waiting in the wings for the next opportunistic pun. Experience tells me that these swings are only short term mood making visitors, so I dare not take them seriously. Instead of fighting them off, as has been my custom in earlier years, I welcome them in for a frank discussion, inviting them to sound off with what seems to be the burr beneath their saddle. Sometimes there are answers that can be rationally addressed, and yet other times when reason seems not to be its remedy. I have learned that a healthy expression of thankfulness wedged between two slices of gratitude serves up a bountiful meal that satiates the pangs of despair. May we all learn to feast upon the thoughtfully prepared rendering of thanksgiving as we nourish our souls for life’s journey!
Today the weather changed. A refreshing cool wind blew from the northwest scattering multicolored leaves about the lawn. Maple tree seeds ample enough to dot the surface of the carport spread briskly in the gusts of wind. The farm animals seemed to revel in the freshness of the day as goats bantered about with each other and the chickens enjoyed the feast of worms abundantly brought to the surface by the previous day’s rain and their ample pick of seeds from the winds of change. The shifting angle of the earth’s rotation signals the passing of summer into autumn and with it nature’s adaptation in its changing environment. As the natural landscape of the farmland adjusts to the evolving temperature and light upon its surface, so too do our bodies react to change. Most of that change is a part of the normal cycle of adaptation but occasionally, that change is exacerbated by dis-ease. Stiffness, involuntary (non-intended) movement and enhanced pain are often uninvited visitors to the PD person’s visceral dwelling. One sometimes attributes that visitor’s overextended stay to the cooling weather conditions, but then is reminded that those same visitors arrived during warmer times as well. Perhaps uninvited disease symptoms are better adapted to or tolerated in the sunshine of the spring and summer as one is anticipating the freedom of outdoor adventures. Recognizing the guests for who they are gives clarity in preparation for their temporary accommodation with a thankful heart of celebration at their ultimate departure! Thankfulness is an antidote to otherwise distracting intrusions.