Savoring

Alder, my oldest grandchild (3),  Fia and I were walking down the path to our pond, which Fia calls our jungle.  It is kind of a mess of willows and weeds, fallen tree branches etc., but we love it.  We'd stopped to examine a new bud on a low branch when Alder spotted a vapor trail that was two parallel white tracks across the blue, blue sky.  It really was cool and I have no idea what was making it.  He did.  He said, "Abuela, I think that's a rocket making a space railroad track."  We sat right down in the grass and watched it happen.  Baby magic.

I said I'd talk today about what to do when your body doesn't cooperate with your plan to manage your thinking and savor magic with joy and abandon.  OK.  I had other ideas, but I keep my promises.  The thing is, it takes hard work, determined practice and focused effort to make change.  Change is uncomfortable.  And sometimes, things like depression or anxiety or other medical conditions interfere.  We have the silliest tendency to think that somehow it's a failure of character or will to acknowledge mental illnesses and treat them with medications that are effective and easily available.  We don't give ourselves or others grief for needing blood pressure or thyroid meds or for taking an antibiotic for an infection, but somehow it's different when it's our "mind".  Just FYI.  It's not.  It's your brain. If you have been feeling rotten and working hard to stop it, but your body just will not cooperate, go to your doctor.  Have a screening.  If she gives you medication, swallow it daily and do not feel like that is some sort of failure. These medications work differently than Tylenol.  If you feel something right away, it's probably a temporary side effect.  Hang in there, those pass.  The full benefits can take 6-8 weeks.  It is worth it.  We can now see, with some of the expensive new brain scan techniques, increased numbers of connections in brain structures when medication are used.  Healing.  Practices (cognitive/behavioral) and exercise also make visible brain change.  Do all of it together if that's what it takes.  That is not a bad thing.  Taking care of yourself so you can give your best selves to those you love, your community and the world is just the right thing to do.  XOXO