Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
The first games of Little League season are scheduled to begin this week amidst the continuing confusions of 2020, year 2. Will the maskites allow children to be children? Children never have been at risk from COVID-19 and are starved for social interaction with other children. It has been super gratifying to watch their enthusiasm during practice, but the practices happened on private property. Will the maskites allow the public display of social activity and indecently exposed smiles? Will my fellow seniors allow our "filthy little germ bags" to have lives fit for children? Corona mandates make allot more sense in nursing homes than nurseries.
Yesterday's read from "Hope for Today" is still with me. It seems worthy of review.
Begin quote
To me compassion requires patience. Compassion is what I can choose to feel toward myself and others after my patience has been tested to the limits and I am exhausted. It takes a great deal of effort for me to extend compassion to certain people. To do so sometimes requires me to look beyond my anger and exchange my fits of rage for acts of kindness. It means letting go of resentments resulting from unrealistic expectations. It requires settig aside minor annoyances by asking myself, "How important is it?" Compassion is about accepting people, includig myself, as they are and loving them still.
A recent event underscored the importance of compassion in my life. A former colleague died as the result of a car accident. One moment she was fuull of life; the nest moment she was gone. This helped me realize that each and every moment is precious. Life is both priceless and unpredictaable; I don't know how long it will last. I don't want to waste a minute of it on self-pity, worry, guilt, resentment, anger or any character defect that may stand in the way of becoming the kind of person I want to be. I don't want to leave or be left with, a long trail of regrets. I want to have as many good memories as possible. Compassion can help me create those memories. Patience can help me create compassion
Thought for the Day
Patience in my recovery will lead me to compassion. How can I practice patience in my life today?
"Patience and understanding on my part can have the power to heal." ~Anon
End quote
My patience with Corona mandates has definitely been taxed to its limits. There have been no fellow seniors in my physical life since Corona crowned over a year ago. The social distances between us is so great that it doesn't seem possible to close that gap now. Can I forgive them for demanding, en absentia, that children be as isolated and socially distant as they are? Do I need to stand ready for yet another maskite invasion of the opening game?
Venting. . . Sorting. . .
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I haven't written in my diary on my computer since May because I thought that my computer was dying. I got away from writing but my computer is hanging in there. I think that I will start writing in it again. It's so therapeutic.
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First, I hope everyone is doing well, and continuing to fight that good fight! Keep up the great work on yourselves; I'm rooting for all of you!So, I started doing therapy at the beginning of the year, when I was in my most depressed state, but with my therapist, I made big changes and steps in the right direction. But, over a month ago, she couldn't take my insurance anymore, and I had to stop...
I find myself often practicing compassion with my dogs. As humans we tend to hold this “dominance” mindset. “My dog is doing this to try and assert its dominance”. No. Dogs have feelings. Dogs behaviors are motivated by how they feel. Sounds familiar? haha I have found that when I exist with my dogs assuming the mindset that my dogs are acting the way they are because of their feelings I find myself far more patient. I trust the process more and focus on helping them work through their stress and helping create a more positive outlook on life. i wish i had that same compassion for people.... something to work on. i suppose dogs haven’t hurt me the way people have.
Dominance and control might be the greatest of human delusions, whichever the direction we point our hoary finger of blame.
Compassion. Shared pain. These days I believe understanding both sides of the shared pain is the far, far better training tool than control or dominance. It be a dance we do together. If we can share the pain, sharing the good stuff is easy.
More and more, I find myself speaking dog to humans. "Gr-r-r-r" and tail wagging both translate easily into every language on the planet whereas speaking the same language is quite far from a guarantee of communication. Just ask a divorce lawyer.
Children also respond well to dog talk and training techniques. They share the same basic social needs and pack instincts.
Let Pip give ya some lessons on how to be a REAL bitch. I sure wish people would quit insulting my dog with most of what gets called, "A real bitch."
I stroke the head of my newest tutor
A furry, friendly, four legged suitor
Step up to the lectern, my furry witch
Teach me to be a REAL bitch
Arfity arf arf arf. . . Evil grin. . .