Thankful

I’m trying to decide if the people on the discussion lists that I frequent will drum be out or not for this blog post.  I’m pretty sure that most people, either the ones I know in person or the ones I know from on line, will think I’m bloody loony for it, but it is what it is.

For all of its pains (literally and figuratively) RA has actually come to be something I’m thankful for (most days, anyway).

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not thankful for the pain.  And I’m not thankful for the freaking freezing feet (how’s that of onomatopoeia???) that mean I have to take a hot bath sometimes a couple or a few times a day.

I am thankful that RA has taught me that it is okay to listen when people tell you that they hurt because very often they do and sometimes you can even do something to help.  I know that some people still don’t get this and they still poo-poo the fact that someone is hurting of feeling generally yukky. More and more I realize that we need to be gentle with everyone because whether you can see it or not, almost everyone is hurting in some way.

I’m thankful that RA has taught me to slow down and be gentle with myself.  I still am entirely too hard on myself for hurting and for not being able to get stuff done, but I’m getting better.  I’m asking for help.  I’m slowing down.  And I’m doing what I can when I can because I know that later I may not be able to.

I’m thankful that RA has brought me some great friends that I may not have had otherwise.  I can ask for advice and share my experiences to try to make other people’s journey maybe less scary and less stressful.

I’m thankful that it has taught me that I really need to follow my dreams, even in a part time way, because there is always a chance that I won’t be able to chase my kite later and I know I have right now.  So I am!