Is There a Middle Ground?

If you’re a procrastinator you only have about thirty-six hours left to shop before Christmas Eve arrives.  We’ve all had plenty of time to go out to the stores or make something, but what this season is about are hopes and dreams.  When a kid makes that list to Santa they’re world is full of possibility.  They begin their own journey as they wait for the big day to arrive so they can see if what is front and center in their consciousness actually materializes. 

As we get older we ask for bigger things with bigger prices.  “Why don’t we wish for the small things?”  I ask this because when faced with a health challenge the obvious wish is to be cured.  There are some who ask for healing (different from curing) but overall the wish is for a return to a life before the diagnosis…that’s not going to happen. 

What if we wished for things that are smaller but are still big?  Is that even possible?  Would you be okay wishing for fewer symptoms?  Perhaps you’d like to take fewer medications?  That wish has come true for many diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.  At one point there were clients of mine taking upwards of 20 pills a day, at different intervals, some refrigerated, and some not.  Today, the pharmaceutical industry did answer many patients’ dreams by combining medications into one pill or coming up with more effective meds that can be taken in fewer doses.

Another example is for those facing fibromyalgia.  It wasn’t too long along that there weren’t any FDA approved medications to help with the intense pain, but the past couple of years have seen strides that give relief to those with this particular health challenge.

Maybe you should wish for more pain-free days so you can dance, even if it’s in your living room.  Maybe you should wish for a good night’s sleep so your body has time to recuperate and you get to explore the wonderful world of dreams.  Just chunking the wishes down to more attainable outcomes will be a gift you give yourself. 

Wishes do come true when we maintain a bit of perspective.  Don’t forget to wish that the medical scientists of the world have enormous breakthroughs in the coming year…that’s one that would make us all rejoice!