Coping

Not long ago, I heard of a friend who had to be placed in a nursing home because he has Alzheimer’s and it was no longer possible for the family to care for him at home. How difficult this decision had to be for his family. And how heartbreaking his diagnosis.

A conversation overheard several months ago between two women, was about a friend of theirs who had been diagnosed with a seldom-heard-of disease, was about her being taken to a nursing home where she could also receive physical therapy in the hopes she could possibly return to her home, although she would still need assistance for her day-to-day life.

I read of a young child who had been in a serious accident and so far has had over 20 surgeries. This child still cannot walk on his own and every day is a struggle for him and his family.

Reading and hearing these stories brought to mind an old saying, “Things could be worse.”

Years ago, I read that if a group of people sat in a circle, each holding a bag containing small stones. Each stone in the bag represented a difficulty or problem each person was encountering in their life. Should each one pour out the stones in their bag, they would quickly take them back rather than trade them for another person’s because inevitably all the others in the circle had more stones, thus a more difficult life.

Reading this, the thought came to mind that although we may each feel we have what we feel is extremely difficult to cope with, we should also remember that there are others to help us through our journey - family, friends, counselors, ministers, medical personnel and support groups to mention a few.

Hopefully, when having to deal with a problem or situation we know there is help available to help us get through it.

As I went over the scenarios I wrote about above, I once again was extremely grateful for all the people, some of whom I don’t know and probably never will, who are helping me through my journey as I undergo treatment for cancer.

True, some days aren’t nearly as good as others, but those days come nowhere close to the good days. One thing is certain, no matter what the day is like, I still find something about the day that helps me, even if it’s nothing more than eating a fresh tomato straight out of my garden or my cat rubbing her cheek against mine or hearing a favorite song.

Whatever it is you are having to cope with, I sincerely hope you find a bright spot each day that helps you.