Monday, February 6, 2012

An update



Sometimes we need to be stripped down to our bones, laid bare and open to the elements in order to remember who we are.

Since my life tumbled into chaos and high stress when my mother broke her hip, I felt as if I lost my own life in taking care of hers, but actually I've learned some things.

First, take care of what you have to and then turn off the anxiety and do what you love. For me, that's writing and being somewhere in nature. I've found those moments and some of them have been really rewarding.

Despite the many hours of settling my mother into a new reality, I've made huge strides in my fairy tale manuscript, found a new inspiration, wrote a short short for a contest, enrolled in a writer's event I wanted to attend. All of this has been spirit-raising.

There's a great graphic my daughter shared with me that asks:

Do you have a problem in your life?

No. >Then don't worry about it.

Yes.>Can you do something about it?

No. >Then don't worry about it.

Yes. >Then don't worry about it.

*


The solution is to do what you can and let it be.


In doing what I can this week, I go back to my mother's to take her to a followup with the surgeon, to have the electricians check out her wall socket, to meet with a board&care home, but then I also plan on an afternoon with my critique partners and another event with a lot of co-workers from the newspaper where I used to work. Some of this, some of that, and steps forward for all.

I'll be offline at my mother's, so I may not update again all week. My best to all of you and thanks for reading.

14 comments:

mignon said...

so true. i, too, have a mother who is ill (alzheimers). i, too, have learned to do what i can and then just let it be.

-mignon

Tere Kirkland said...

Big hugs and warm thoughts for you, Pat!

Laurel Garver said...

Do what you can and let it be--very wise advice no matter what one is tackling. Wishing you well as you take steps to get your mother great care and keep your writing mojo going.

Julie said...

Thinking of you...and keep writing! :)

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Mignon: Thanks for saying that. My mother has some mental/emotional problems that make this more difficult. We need to accept there is only so much that can be done and let it go.

Tere: Thank you, sweetie!

Laurel: Oh, yeah, got to keep the mojo, but it gets hard sometimes. Thanks for the good wishes.

Julie: Thank you!
*

I'm taking off soon, so I'll comment more, hopefully, post more later in the week.

J.B. Chicoine said...

...what is that saying..."Everything turns out alright in the end--If it's not alright, it's not the end"

All the best to you and your mom...

Davin Malasarn said...

Tricia, Good luck with everything. I'm glad you are still finding time to write, even with all of the other things you have to do.

Bish Denham said...

Taking care of your mother is a wonderful thing. I don't know what your relationship with her was/is like, but I bet she wiped your butt enough times that you owe her...My sister (and me to when I was home) felt honored to take care of our mom, as hard as it was sometimes.

I so so glad inspiration is following you around like a begging dog. Keep feeding it!

Golden Eagle said...

"The solution is to do what you can and let it be."

Very true.

My thoughts are with you and your mother. I wish you the best with everything!

dolorah said...

I hope it all works out for you and your mother.

I like the yes-no graphic. A good philosophy to follow.

.......dhole

Liza said...

Thinking of you and hoping your mother's health improves.

Ara Burklund said...

Wishing you well, Tricia! Hope your mom's recovery is swift!

Paul Greci said...

I hope your mom gets settled in and she's happy.
And, I love your approach to life's changes. :-)

Great photo, too!!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone of you!