While on a retreat last weekend I heard a story about the renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, and it has stuck in my mind since then. You can read the whole beautiful story here. Or, to summarize: Perlman had polio as a child, and getting on and off stage for his performances often involved a slow and painful walk and… Continue reading 3-string violin
In the fall of 2014, I took an 8-week course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). I won't get into the details of it here, but there's a wealth of information about MBSR online if you're interested in learning more. Meditation and mindfulness weren't knew to me, but I wanted to delve in a bit deeper.… Continue reading “Start small” is more than just a saying
It's been an interesting week, if you consider Sunday to be the end of the week and not the beginning. On Tuesday, I got the results of several blood tests and allergy tests, and met with my immunologist. Then I had a really whacked-out week and didn't feel like processing everything here in writing. I… Continue reading A “good enough” diagnosis
Today I spent some time inviting fellow 2007 alums from my college to donate to the college's annual fund. Although I love my college, I often have mixed feelings about fundraising for it. I feel a little sentimental when I think about the warm community I found at Mount Holyoke College. I met people from all… Continue reading Giving to my alma mater – it’s complicated
When I have a day that I feel healthy - the way I used to feel on most days - I feel like a superhero. I don't even have to feel 100%. Ninety percent will do. On those days, I get an urge to do everything. All the things I couldn't do on those other days… Continue reading When normal isn’t normal anymore
A few years ago, someone lent me a book called Comfortable with Uncertainty by Pema Chödrön. I like Pema Chödrön, but I don't like uncertainty, so I never read the book. In retrospect, it probably would have been useful. One of the many, many things that having a chronic illness has taught me (or at least… Continue reading The inescapable lesson of waiting
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