“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…It is about learning to dance in the rain.”
Another week, another medical procedure…But this time it was a routine colonoscopy and I had excellent results from it, so I was very pleased.
At this appointment, I had a wonderful conversation with a very kind nurse. If there are any perks to going to the doctor, it is that you do get the chance to meet new people and most of them are very thoughtful and compassionate.
My nurse this time told me that she had 45 years of experience and as we went through my medical history, she commented on my most recent scar on my neck. Back in May, I had surgery for thyroid cancer and the scar, she noted, is healing nicely.
After reviewing the last 25 years of my medical life (and all of the scars that go along with it) the nurse made the comment, “Boy, you’ve taken more than one for the team, haven’t you?”
I smiled and nodded…I guess I hadn’t thought of it that way before…
“Well, “ she concluded, “today should be a piece of cake!”
A positive perspective…yes… that is so essential in life, isn’t it?
Believe it or not, despite my medical past, I love to watch medical dramas on television. For example, I have watched all twenty seasons of Grey’s Anatomy…much more for the soap opera portion than the realistic operating scenes….
It is a guilty pleasure of mine that dates back to the 1990’s, when ER was the big television hit.
Maybe watching these shows reminds me of how lucky I am, despite everything I have gone through…
Anyway, our conversation reminded me of yet another one of my television favorites… 9-1-1. Here is a quote from one of their episodes…
“During our lives, many of us end up collecting scars, both physical and psychological, that serve as reminders of what we have been through and of who we are…”
I think that this is a very true statement…
In my own life, for example, every morning after I take a shower, I look in the mirror and see the 8 inch scar on my chest from the thymectomy surgery I endured over 25 years ago…an open-heart procedure that ended up changing the trajectory of my life.
In 1999, I was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis and literally I went from being a perfectly healthy individual to someone who had a disease I had never heard of before - one that affected my vision, voice and swallowing…
Life has a way of throwing us curve balls…but I got lucky. I had a great doctor, who lead me to another great doctor, who lead me to a great surgeon…and I ended up getting the care I needed….and I have the scars to prove it…
But maybe those scars can become more than just a reminder of my past traumas - Maybe they are a testament to the fact that I am still here…that I am exceptional…that I am a survivor…
And maybe I shouldn’t feel shame or embarrassment when those scars are seen by others…Instead, I need to “strut accordingly”, walking with my head held high, remembering what a walking miracle I am and all of the blessings I get to experience, each and every day…not despite the scars…but because of them…
What do you think?
My support comes from my subscribers and I really appreciate it. If you enjoy what the Kindness Boomerang newsletter provides, please feel free to share this link on your social media. Subscriptions can be either free or paid. It’s a simple process of sharing your email address. Thanks for your support!
For information about why I started this newsletter, please go to the about section.
Tranquil Moments…
I asked my niece, Jennifer Malphy, if she could share some of her nature photos with my newsletter audience. Each week I will feature a new photo. Here is this week’s:
This week’s Smile video…
When a barefoot woman boarded Jayne Arendt-Verhelst's bus in Minneapolis, she immediately took the shoes off her own feet and gave them to the passenger. Steve Hartman has the story in "On the Road."
#believe #smilevideos #spreadkindnessandlove
Thoughts to ponder…
“Nothing you love is lost. Not really. Things, people—they always go away, sooner or later. You can’t hold them, any more than you can hold moonlight. But if they’ve touched you, if they’re inside you, then they’re still yours. The only things you ever really have are the ones you hold inside your heart.” ~Bruce Coville
Art for Mental Health
Jeff Sparr was a 20-year-old star player on the Ohio State University men’s tennis team when his mental health issues first flared up. The anxiety was so intense that it landed Sparr in a psychiatric hospital where he was quickly diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Years later, Sparr was driving home from work one day when a friend called him and mentioned that many people suffering from mental wellness issues find solace in artistic expression, specifically painting. Jeff decided to take a detour home and stock up on paint supplies in search for one last solution that may bring him peace of mind.
The results of painting were so profound that it inspired Jeff to formalize the practice to help others also struggling with mental illness. PeaceLove, a non-profit that fosters mental wellness through art and creativity, was founded. The foundation has been successfully spreading the gospel of expressive arts for 12 years now.
What I am reading…
This week I am rereading the book Peace, Love & Healing by Dr. Bernie Siegel. I bought this book over 20 years ago and have turned to it often over the years. If you ever get the chance to read it, please do. It is awesome!
The Amazon description is as follows: “A classic of patient empowerment, Peace, Love & Healing offered the revolutionary message that we have an innate ability to heal ourselves. Now proven by numerous scientific studies, the connection between our minds and our bodies has been increasingly accepted as fact throughout the mainstream medical community. In a new introduction, Dr. Bernie Siegel highlights current research on the relationships among consciousness, psychosocial factors, attitude and immune function.
"Love and peace of mind do protect us," Siegel writes. "They allow us to overcome the problems that life hands us. They teach us to survive...to live now...to have the courage to confront each day."
Podcast picks…
Building on the success of her instant No. 1 NY Times-bestselling book I’ve Been Thinking…Reflections, Prayers and Meditations for a Meaningful Life, Maria Shriver continues to explore the life topics, issues and ideas that we’re all thinking about. Through intimate, thought-provoking conversations with friends and other individuals she respects and admires, Maria dives into issues like love, pain, forgiveness, gratitude, family, faith, connection, loneliness, the art of self-reinvention, and more to inspire you to reflect on your own life and have more meaningful conversations with the people you love.
Mind/Body connections…
Have you ever had the feeling that you are lost in your head? Or like your head is in the clouds? Or as if you are disconnected from yourselves and your surroundings? I know I have. When this happens, I can use some grounding to bring my feet back down to earth and reconnect!
Comedy Lift…
I love to share funny cartoons or memes with friends and family. Who doesn’t need to smile? Here’s this week’s Comedy Lift…
Music Moments
Music inspires me in many ways. Here’s the amazing song I Wish by Stevie Wonder ...Enjoy!
Quote of the week
Until next week. Please remember…Begin and end each day with a grateful heart…and always, always be kind….