Trip to the Bay Area

I took the train to the San Francisco Bay Area last week. It was certainly cooler there by about 30 degrees which was a nice short change. I enjoyed seeing my friends and family while there. The one thing I really noticed was how stressed out almost every one of the people I came into contact seemed to be. That is no way to go through life.

Stress kills and steals quality of life while it is doing it. I asked some of them why they were so stressed and got reactions that did not make sense to me. They blamed everything from the debt crisis and the economic downturn to job stress and lack of control over their lives. I can understand some concern over all of their issues but the extreme stress that was so evident in their speech and interpersonal relationships is ruining their lives. Please! Learn to just take the world as it comes on a day to day basis people. There is no point in worrying about things that you have no control over like the debt crisis. Maybe some meditation to slow down your overstressed over stimulated minds and return to a calmer happier state of being would help you. We all have problems, such is life but don't allow the problems to take over and crowd out enjoying life.

I have my problems too. My physical health issues are something I can do very little about so although they negatively impact my life to a large extent, I work at not letting it take me over. I go out of my way to relax and enjoy life as much as I am able to. My financial picture is bleak. Trying to exist on $900 in California is all but impossible and leaves me little for entertainment expenses but such is life. I meditate daily and try to focus my mind over the pain and financial problems to allow myself to still enjoy my small slice of life.

Don't get me wrong, I have serious depression problems from all the pain. Pain rewires the brain and releases very strong drugs so it causes depression all by itself. It takes a large amount of my mind to overcome this physical problem but I do alright considering. Even so, I never worry about anything. Worrying is a waste of effort. I look at my problems, try to figure out the best solution then make a plan to solve it and then I follow the plan. It doesn't always work for me but it usually does. Sometime the depression wins out because the chemicals the brain emits are very strong but most of the time I can control it.

The worst time for me is when the pain first starts going up. The rising pain causes an inverse depression slide, or in other words when my pain goes up my mood instantly and violently goes down. This is my most dangerous period because I lose control of my thoughts and my actions until either my drugs like morphine take effect or the pain stabilizes or drops again. After almost 20 years of experience with this relationship I would think I should have a better handle on this but the truth is I am pain's bitch. That is why I so appreciate this respite I am experiencing right now from the most severe pain I get so often. I do have valley fever too but I don't worry about that at all because it is something I have no control over. I just do what I can and try to calmly enjoy life every chance I get.

So enjoy life and take Bobby McFerrin's advice, "Don't worry. Be happy." PURAVIDA