Nevertheless We Arise

It's been nearly a month since I opened my computer. Life, illness, activities, medical appointments and more have conspired to consume my time and energy. A Walk Against Hunger turned trip to the Emergency Department and weeks of trying to sort out a medication nightmare. I have been more ill than not, my body taking its time recovering from a major flare and subsequent issues with adrenal insufficiency. Every moment that I'm not too sick to function has been filled with costume making for a mainstage production at Epoch Arts, shuttling children places, dealing with getting appropriate healthcare for myself and my children, and myriad other things that go into parenting a horde of rannygahoots.

Sometimes life has a way of getting in the way of things you enjoy ... things that are beneficial to your being. 

And so I'm up early, on hold with the Department of Social Services in an attempt to sort out some issues, taking the time - making the time - to get back to writing. I'm still in bed, in my pjs, head throbbing, neck like broken glass, doing both what is essential to life and what is essential to living.

For me, writing is more than sharing my thoughts and feelings, the important happenings in life, and my passions, it's therapeutic, it helps me leave the chaos of life behind to center myself on what is truly important. It brings life into focus. 

As we speed through life, everything becomes a blur of activity, emotion, accomplishment, failure, and mundanity. How often do we really step back from the tumult to realize how blessed we are, to see the beauty, to truly appreciate the life we get to live? 

As I sit here, twenty-three minutes into being on hold, I hear my children trickling down the stairs as they emerge from sleep and welcome the day. It's before 8AM on a day when they don't need to be up for hours and nevertheless, given the option to sleep in, they arise. One sibling has been extra busy and another is hoping to spend time with him this morning, before he's once again off to rehearsal. Another child may perhaps be hoping she's up and ready early enough to run errands with her mother. 

I feel as though I'm emerging from the mire of a month of particularly bad health, looking forward with excitement to all life is offering. Two more rehearsals until the first mainstage performance, three performances and a cast party, a 17th birthday, a trip to JFK airport to welcome a refugee family into the safe home New Start Ministry has been working on for them, a whirlwind trip to Camp Calumet to drop Haley off for Leadership and Service, packing for our eight glorious days there ... so many things to propel me from bed in the morning with joy and thanksgiving. 

It's been a particularly difficult month. Nevertheless, I arise, still hurting and exhausted, but with hope for better days ahead.