Saturday 30 December 2006

CHRISTMAS

The day is bright as the winter sun peaks through the clouds. Glittered snowflakes decorate the window and handmade silver paper chains hang from the wall. Fresh, dark green eucalyptus adorns the room bringing vibrancy to December.

Christmas can be a time of transition and of memories. When you are in a state of flux, neither part of the ill or well world you exist in a space somewhere in between. Seeing all the winter cheer around but not quite being able to fully join in the merriment. Knowing there is happiness to be had and sometimes even feeling a warm glow inside but it passes as fleetingly as the white snowflakes fall.

Hope lies inside that things can be better. A fresh year lays ahead as another year of dreams fades away.

TO START...

Stepping out in to life again after a period of long illnesses is like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon in Spring. Its wings are beautifully patterned but delicate from the time spent wrapped up tightly away from life. The fresh air breathes newness in to the body of the butterfly and it spreads its wings, taking flight in to the air.

Remembering we have the freeness this butterfly has when we move in to the groove of our shattered life at this time is important. Although we may not feel free still in many ways and still have much work to do in overcoming our limitations, it is still important we have faith in ourselves as people. This is the most vital gift we can give ourselves.

It is during the years that have past that our faith can sometimes have been shaken. When your body and mind have been pulled through endless and chronic pain, ill health and fear you feel that are unable to rely on yourself to function in our world. It is a painful place to exist but also in some ways, a place of growth.

Even though, at times, the growth is in a direction that you’d rather not be taking.