Una’s little world 32. Reflecting on tough times
by Una Hearne.
So I’ve been thinking about how the world has had to adapt to significant changes and losses because of Covid and how I came to terms over the past three years with changes and losses because of ME/CFS.
Happy to report I am now at the point where I am at peace with ME/CFS. Not saying anyone else should be or needs to be. Just that I needed to get to this point, to stop losing energy in resentment and sadness. How I would love to report that it was a swift and peaceful process. That I gracefully accepted my new normal wearing floaty dresses, being all serene and spiritual to a soundtrack of meditation music. But that would be a lie. Sigh. It has been a messy, up and down, stomping around like a pissed off five year old kind of process and is ongoing.
But I’m here now and capable of seeing the gifts. All experience has gifts, life lessons that build our resilience and ability to cope. Everyone is getting them from Covid and two in particular are common and wonderful.
One is finding support among others going through the same thing, it makes all the difference. The feeling of community and pulling together over the past few months with Covid was palpable. It reminded me of the feeling I get belonging to a facebook support group for M.E. A particularly good group it has to be said.
One member of this facebook group, Christine, said to me once ‘Independence is a matter of personal creativity’ which helped me view the likelihood of increasing disability with far more optimism. With Covid we saw the same inspiring attitude to change in an explosion of creativity, problem solving and helping each other. Did you notice how quickly we adapted and found new ways to connect, work and spread laughter? Amazing. In art college – about 150 years ago – I learned how constraints call forth creativity, much of our progress as humans has been in response to problems and obstacles. We are pretty good when put to the test.
So, inspired by my facebook friends I have already started to design the custom paint job for my future mobility scooter (if needed). I’m thinking rainbows and unicorns… maybe with flags and jangly things hanging off it. Lots of purple, blues and greens. You know, in case I’d go unnoticed. 🙂 And a bell that plays ‘Go ahead sucker, make my day’ quite loudly. Definitely having the engine souped up… Scooter derby anyone? Oh and a very blinged out leather jacket too with matching helmet. The overall look will send the message ‘I may be a frail little old lady, but I am insane enough to cause you problems if you hassle me’. In love with it already 🙂
We all have crap to face in life and how we fare is limited only by our imagination.
If you like this blog, please share it, and if you want to receive it straight to your email you can sign up here
