We’ve been getting a bit more exercise recently. All along Helen has been cajouling, encouraging, forcing me to get out and walk most days. Even when I was in hospital we would go for walks through the corridors with my drip. Those days I had no motivation and needed Helen’s encouragement to do anything.
Now that I’m more myself I need less encouragement. The trips to the boat resulted in good exercise from which I have made improvements. On Sunday we went for a walk around the neighbourhood which totalled 3km. Not bad. On Monday we walked around the lake at nearby Jell’s Park – another 3km. Yesterday, after my fourth RT session we drove to the nearby Dandenongs, had lunch at Grants Picnic Area then set of for a walk which ended up being just over 7km including some lengthy steep sections. By our historical standards this was a pretty average hike. Given that after my first round of chemo (when I was at my weakest) I fell on my face walking out the front of the house, we are feeling pretty pleased with the progress made.
So back to what to do with the blog. My mind is made.
Thanks again to all those who voted and those who made comments and suggestions. They helped take my mind in different directions and shape my thoughts. The near unanimity was clear encouragement.
My blog writing which started while we were preparing for this recent adventure has been a story of our lives together and will continue to be so. It therefore makes total sense to keep it going in a single blog. While our current battle against my lymphoma is the storm we are currently going through, I don’t want it to be elevated to the point where it is seen as a dividing line between past and future. I intend to look back and see this period as just another challenge we’ve faced in our lives.
This thinking even extends down to the choice of a name for the blog. While I liked the suggestion of ‘Aboard Dignity and Beyond’ it creates a separation between past and present playing to the changes associated with our current storm and I don’t want that. Dignity is about how we live our lives, how we treat others and our relationship with the Universe/Nature in general. That is what I’m writing about and you’re all welcome aboard to follow our journey. The name stays.
Our interlude actually Aboard Dignity has been a fantastic experience. How can we go forward without remaining wholly connected with it. In particular, the sailing and weather metaphors that going along with it.
This brings me to a moving quote Sarah (our host here in Melbourne) texted to us a couple of days ago. We received it while walking in Jell’s Park :
“Life’s not about waiting for the storms to pass…It’s about learning to dance in the rain.” ~ Vivian Greene
Sarah told us that’s how she saw us dealing with our current challenge. While I hadn’t thought about it this way this is certainly apt. It doesn’t matter how tough things get, there are ways to find precious moments of happiness. I would encourage anyone and everyone to look at life this way. It’s not worth waiting for better times, it’s all about making each day worthwhile. It certainly helps when you have the perfect dance partner as I do.
I’ll leave you with another of Vivian’s quotes, also particularly apt, and some pics.
“The song of the sea does not end at the shore”