The Life in my Head – Part 1

OK, maybe I should not admit this, but I live a completely different life in my head.  OK, in the physical world, I drag my worn carcass out of bed and go through the motions of the day.  I hide my grief and depression behind the appropriate smiles and conversation.

But – in my head – my life is completely different.  I carry on conversations with people, saying what I really want to say in the physical world – but cannot.  What can I say, I like living indoors and cashing my paycheck.   But in my head, I really give people what for!  In my head, I grieve out loud – I hide nothing.  I scream and sob – in my head.

In my head, I am not the old, worn, gray haired woman in the mirror.  In my head, I am still MOM.

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Charlie does enjoy a nap

We could all learn a thing or two from our doggies – like the best way to spend a rainy day

Never Life

My child is in the After Life – and I am in the NEVER Life.

I NEVER wanted to survive my child.  This is the worst thing that I NEVER thought would happen.  I will NEVER stop crying.

I am trying to cope with the loss I NEVER wanted to face.  I will NEVER be the same.

I will NEVER “Get over it” and will NEVER stop wanted to slap people who say I should.

I’ve lost the person I NEVER wanted to be without.

In one phone call, I heard the words I NEVER wanted to hear and I can NEVER forget.

I NEVER thought I would survive, and maybe I won’t.

I will NEVER be “MOM” again.  I will NEVER hold him or hear his voice in this lifetime.

I will forever miss the cards, texts, and phone calls that NEVER come.

I struggle to make it through the holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries I will NEVER celebrate again.

I have become a person I NEVER wanted to be.  I realize now, I truly NEVER understood the pain of others before.

I have done things I NEVER wanted to do – and said a good bye I NEVER wanted to say.

I will NEVER stop loving and missing him.  I will NEVER stop speaking his name and talking about him.

I will NEVER let go of GOD’s gentle hand.  I will NEVER forget GOD loves me.  I will NEVER stop trusting GOD.

 

 

Living Ala Carte

I am not trying to encroach on anyone’s belief system or heritage or culture.  I am not trying to “become” something I am not.  Honestly, I am so broken, I cannot be what I was – so I must be something else.  I am just trying to survive the most devastating, painful loss – the loss of my child – a loss so deep and unimaginable and all-consuming, it has no name.

So, I am seeking enlightenment.  I am picking up pebbles of knowledge and wisdom and comfort to build a new pathway.  I may pick up a “pebble” from a rap song or the writings of a Tibetan Monk or the passing comment of a Catholic Priest or the prose of a cowboy poet.  In addition to my Christian Bible, my foundation, I am currently reading books by Native American authors as well as the writings of a Vietnamese Monk.

I respect the journey of others, and the paths they take are the best for them.  I am on my own path, and I am grateful when I can learn and find comfort in the journey of another.  I hope, someday, I will be able to lift another traveler on their journey, and hand them a pebble with love and understanding.

I am not “claiming” any convention or label.  I am seeking GOD.  I am seeking HIS guidance and comfort and wisdom – not man’s religions or labels or groups or boundaries.

So, I am learning to live my life, travel my path ala carte – sampling the wisdom of all.  Taking a little bit from each.  Some will be right for me and will add this pebble to my pathway.  Some will not be right for me and I will release the pebble – NOT THROW IT, just release it.

My heart is set on GOD and my mind is open.  I respect different views and different paths.  Love and kindness and acceptance are powerful aids to all travelers on this spiritual journey, especially those in pain.

Dial Up

Earlier, I shared my struggle and desire to “reconnect” with GOD, loved ones, ME.  It is a slow process.  Sometimes, I feel like I am making progress, then some memory or maybe a small comment triggers the pain, the tears and I relapse and disconnect.

I certainly struggle to connect with sleep, which I why I am rambling on now.  Although, I do seem to be able to connect very well with ice cream, chocolate, coffee, and bacon.  Yep, I am definitely connected with those.  Oh, and bread.

I feel like the rest of the world has high speed, and I am still on dial up.  I can almost hear the tones of the modem.  Of course, out here in the country, there are times when it may as well be dial up.

But, I am not going to give up.  GOD is with me – HIS rod and HIS staff, they comfort me – and tomorrow is another day to try.

I pray you all have positive connections too.

Thin wallet, Fat thighs

Just thinking, I wish my thighs would slim down as quickly as my wallet.

Mad as HELL at ME!!

Another revelation or a bit of grief evolution.

I realized something in the wee hours of the morning, when I really wanted to be asleep.  I was thinking I was so frustrated with a loved one for lacking self-discipline and continuing unhealthy habits.  Then my mind wondered to another person I criticized for sloth; and yet another who described me in a unflattering way and stung my feelings.

Suddenly, I realized – I wasn’t frustrated with these other people at all.  I was mad at me!!  I am mad as hell at ME!!  I am mad at me for not exercising self-discipline and losing weight.

I am mad at me for lounging, wasting time and being slothful – when I have chores to do, tasks I once enjoyed.

The only reason the hurtful description cut me so deeply, is because I believe it – I look in the mirror and all I see is tired, fat, and old.

I am just angry at me.  I really don’t like that old lady in the mirror.

These others have no power over me – and I have none over them.  We are each the potter’s hands, and I am not the potter.  I cannot make someone else make better choices and clearly I am not making the best choices for me.

Matthew 7:3

“And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?”

GOD, please forgive me for wrong thoughts.  I clearly have a beam in my own eye and I need to roll up my sleeves and get to work on pulling it out.  OK, so HOW?  Grief is so heavy, it ways on me.  When I want to exercise or clean the garage or clean out the tack room – I have all this extra weight, both in my heart and on my bum!  I am wide awake at 5 am, but I struggle to drag out of bed by 6:30.  It takes all my strength to work all day and then do just my daily chores– let alone major cleaning and upkeep.  My brain keeps cycling back to, “What’s the point?”  “Why try?”  “It hurts!”

Come on ME!! Get it together.  What would I say to ME – if ME was my best friend?  I would say, “It’s OK, don’t be so hard on yourself.  I am here for you.  I care. How can I help?”

Well, ME –  maybe instead of trying to fix everything all at once, just set three tiny goals – for a 24-hour period.  OK, here goes, after I get home from work and do daily chores – I will also complete three tasks from my To Do List:

1. I will sweep the feed room.
2. I will give Baby Dog a haircut, at least around her backside.
3. Tomorrow morning, I will make sure to be up by 6:15.

With GOD’s help, that all seems doable, not too overwhelming.  Oh, and maybe I will give me a little hug.  I think ME really needs it.

 

Screaming headache – suggestions?

It is unbearably hot here in Virginia.  But the horses and goose and cat need care.  I scrubbed the water trough and both goose pools.  Everyone has fresh water and the barn fans are running.

And my head is pounding.

OK, I don’t want to run to the Excedrine every time I get a head ache.  I am trying more natural remedies.

I turned off all the lights and relaxed for 20 minutes.  I think that made it worse.

I drank a full bottle of water.

I drank a cup of coffee for my caffeine fix.

Still the little hammer is slamming away in my head.  And still there are chores to be done.

OK, before I take the top off this Excedrine bottle, any other natural suggestions?

Painting with Cheetos

OK, I know my oil painting on barn slate looks more like an oil spill than a sea scape, but it is good therapy.  My husband commented on the highlights of yellow.  (He was trying to be polite and supportive, bless him)  I was a little surprised because I only used a touch of yellow for a sun.  Upon closer inspection, I realized my Cheetos snacks ended up in my white paint.  Hmmm – a new medium??

I Believe it is YOU

It doesn’t matter what others see, I believe these SKY signs are from you, my son.