Health & wellbeing
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Throwback Thursday: “Anatomy of a Skin Cancer Scar”
“Scars….can be a little ugly on the outside, but scars show that you’re a survivor, that you made it through something, and not only did you make it through, but now you’re stronger and wiser and more educated because of that tough time that you went through.” ~Kyle Carpenter Unprotected sunbathing was a common indiscretion for many teenagers when I was growing up. Going for the burn, we’d spend endless summer days on the beach, usually slathered in baby oil. It rarely occurred to us that we’d pay a high price someday. We didn’t realize that sun damage is cumulative, appearing much later in the form of sagging skin, wrinkles…
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More joy, please
“When we place our attention on joy, we become more joyful. The world seems more benevolent.” ~Martha Beck When I focus on the horror stories in the news — such as daily mass shootings — I catch myself feeling angry, hopeless, fearful or depressed. I start to wonder if I’m a moving target on a giant shooting range. But the worst part, really, is that I lose sight of all the goodness that still exists or occurs around me. At lunch yesterday afternoon, a couple of friends shared recent experiences that involved the kindness and generosity of some lovely people they know. Happy stories. As they recounted these experiences, their…
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Hearts of stone?
“Whatever you want emotionally, you have to start giving away.” ~Mary Karr, memoirist According to Dr. Lindsay Jernigan, a clinical psychologist quoted on PsychCentral.com, the term “emotionally unavailable” refers to individuals who are “not comfortable feeling their own emotions, sharing emotions with others, or being present and responsive to someone else’s emotions.” Emotionally unavailable people don’t wear their hearts on their sleeves. We might describe them as prickly, distant, aloof, or unapproachable. And that doesn’t mean they’re unworthy of our affection — but they’re probably not the first ones we reach for when we need a dose of comfort. We all know a few folks who qualify as emotionally unavailable…
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The one and only you
“Everything in nature invites us constantly to be what we are.” ~Gretel Ehrlich, author Many of us spent our early years trying to conform to the norms or ideals dictated by our parents, peers, religion, and culture. On the other hand, some of us rebelled against them — sometimes for the sake of rebellion, or because we didn’t fit the “perfect” pattern someone else wanted us to follow. Beyond all of this conforming and rebelling is the beautiful, one-of-a-kind essence of who we really are. As today’s thought reminds us, our true nature “invites us” to make that discovery. I’ve learned throughout my life that if I want other folks…
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The art of perseverance
“One must go on working silently, trusting the result to the future.” ~Vincent van Gogh With the help of my new internist, I’ve been working to rebuild a weakened immune system after two long months of illness. I trust her recommendations, and I’m grateful for her partnership on my health journey. Last week, the doctor said something that reminded me of today’s quote from Vincent van Gogh. To paraphrase her advice: There are few quick fixes when it comes to healing — so it’s important to practice patience as we work toward our long-range goals. I think that’s a wise prescription for nearly any worthy endeavor you can name. ~CL
