Navigating the ruts in life’s journey

OK so first of all, an explanation. I took an Operational Pause to clear the mechanism and reset the apparatus (aka the brain, my mental state, and my attitude).

I dropped off the net about a month ago. I needed to take a temporary halt in my social media operations tempo or OPTEMPO. I found myself in a rut. I didn’t drop off the net completely but for the most part was only a passing observer and infrequent commenter. You could say, that I had squeezed the turnips in my life to a point where I needed to give them a break.

This has been a rough year.

It started out with my father passing away.

Then it just seemed to start piling up.

A niece recovering from a TBI had several life challenges confront her at the same time and we all tried to help her navigate, cope with and work through the changes she was experiencing. It has been a humbling experience to watch her and understand that the brain is a complex entity. Her injury has made me more acutely aware of how the brain works, what happens when it is hurt or damaged, and how difficult recovery and adaptation can be for those who have experienced traumatic injury or other life altering events. The struggle for a new normalcy in what really is not normal but a new reality that must be worked through on a daily basis.

There has been someone close who is dealing with depression.

Another dealing with the emotional roller coaster of a failed relationship and having to start over again.

Someone close dealing with severe anxiety.

Then a notification of yet another former colleague and friend who committed suicide.

Then of another who was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Aging parents and the challenges and struggles that they experience in navigating the latter years. Experiences that can manifest themselves in a myriad of ways that both warm and break ones heart. I was fortunate to have my dad move back home for the last ten months of his life. He was where he needed to be.

At the same time however, my in-laws are at that stage in their journey. My father-in-law as with my father is in a struggle with dementia. His struggle is complicated with kidney disease, a severe accident in 2010 where he almost lost both legs, his recovery since and other issues and challenges that come with age. And as with my father, we just don’t know where this is leading. It is a day by day evolution with its ups and downs and unfortunately an increasing experience of more downs than ups. ***An update from when I started writing this last week. A decision was made to put my father-in-law in hospice care. The decision was that hospice would come once a week based on his condition. My wife and I spent the weekend with him, the siblings, grandkids and mother-in-law. His condition deteriorated over the weekend and he is now simply on comfort care as we await the ultimate reality of his situation.

The list can and will go on as you and I know. There are so many out there who are experiencing their own or similar situations and challenges. I just wanted to tell you all how much you are appreciated. I checked back in the other day and was met with a myriad of stories, poems, positive insights, conversations and an undeniable wisdom that has been helpful and most appreciated.  As I tried to get caught up each posting, each message and each notification was and is indicative of so many wonderful hearts and caring souls.

A special shout out to Savvy Raj for her poems, Ali 🐝 Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee and Ali 🐝 Anani, Brand Ambassador @beBee for their stories.  And folks like Deb 🐝 Helfrich, Deb 🐝 Helfrich, Sarah Elkins, Lisa 🐝 Gallagher, Melissa Hefferman, Sarah Elkins, Susan 🐝 Rooks, the Grammar Goddess, Milos Djukic, Joyce 🐝 Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee, Melissa Hefferman, Cyndi wilkins, Sara Jacobovici, Devesh 🐝 Bhatt, Susan 🐝 Rooks, the Grammar Goddess, Pascal Derrien, Gert Scholtz, Harvey Lloyd and Joyce 🐝 Bowen Brand Ambassador @ beBee for their own stories of challenge, humor and discovery.  For the thoughtful comments and positive, reinforcing responses to multiple postings. There are so many of you out there. If I have missed you, understand it is the sheer volume of positive contributors that make singling every individual out an impossibility.  You all have made me realize that when I think I have squeezed my turnips to the point of no return, my cup of turnip juice is overflowing with others who just by being there, underscore that we don't have to squeeze our turnips alone.

Bear with me as my time will remain hit or miss for the foreseeable future. Until then, Keep Making a Difference--one person, one step, one challenge at a time.

For other works by Joel Anderson: https://www.bebee.com/@joel-anderson

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the author