I was watching a TV program yesterday. It’s a UK program called 60-minute make-over. The recipient of the house makeover (3 rooms) was a mother who had suffered from Multiple Sclerosis for 30 years. Her two adult sons and her daughter-in-law had organised for the makeover. This poor woman was wheelchair bound to the point of also having lost the use of her arms. She was totally dependent on her carers and her family for everything. Despite that, she was happy.
I thought a lot about her last night. It’s so easy to become absorbed in ourselves and all the things we've lost. Particularly following the death of a partner. In my case I’ve lost both my parents, my sister and the most important of all my husband. Apart from my Dad, the rest have been taken far too young. But, I still have my health. I own a lovely home and along with my crazy cat I’m fortunate in having the freedom to live the life I choose. I’m not a prisoner in my body as the poor woman in the TV program is. She has lost her health, her freedom and I suspect some of her dignity. There is not a lot of dignity in relying on other people to feed, bath and toilet you, despite how caring people are. But even so she makes the best of life in the harshest of circumstances. It would be so easy to be bitter. It reminded me I have so much more by comparison.
I am a positive person but from time to time I plunge into the ‘pity party’ mode. That said, it always fascinates me how lesson’s pop up at the right time to stop and make me think. That program was one of those lessons. The lesson is: There is always someone much worse off than me, so I should be thankful for what I have and had, and make the best of my life. It is a good lesson. One I needed to be reminded of.
