Daily Whine & Shine - March 18, 2008
by Marilyn Mackenzie
Whether you agree with the concept or not, everyone needs to be able to vent from time to time. That's especially true if you're one of the many who suffer from an invisible illness. We have whines and rants about pains, medical professionals and prescriptions, just to name a few. Perhaps our families listen; perhaps they don't. Even if they do, they get tired of our complaining, even if they claim to understand our constant struggles. Or if they don't get tired of our "negative energy" we think they do or will.
You have arrived at the Daily Whine and Shine, where it's perfectly acceptable for you to whine, stomp your feet, throw a tantrum or shout, "Oh shuckie darn!"
But you have also arrived at a place where it's also perfectly acceptable for you to share your joys, your victories, or to yell, "Yippeeee skippy!"
The best days, I think, are when we can both complain and celebrate.
Food for thought:
Here's a blast from the past...
Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans -- born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world. ~ John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961
Note: The bold/emphasis is mine. If only it were truly so.
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Comments: 35
Do you do this every day?
And this invisible illness thing sucks. Especially if the docs can't give a name to it but are having a grand old time treating all the symptoms. At least no one is telling me it is all in my head.
Funny you should ask that. I'm getting some things ready to write right now. Check with me later.
It's cloudy/rainy here. I am making progress on packing. Not much else to complain about. Finished all my articles. :)
Glad you finished all your articles.
"What I do fervently hope is that in generations to come, those few who know that I ever existed will be glad that I did what I did.
What a great idea to consider giving those who live in our time and who come after us something to take pride in instead of leaving them dependent on "ancient" history. I share his goal, only without the focus on people who know I existed. I believe the true sign of greatness is to have made a positive difference for people I don't know and who will never know me through selfless contributions to the world.
(Hoping your food for thought quote was put there for discussion since your response to The Chive is confusing.)
I have a number of invisible diseases, if by that you mean serious medical conditions that significantly impair my ability but that no one can see by looking at me. I've learned that it is best to have an annual (quarterly at most) rant. Daily self-pity would keep me focused on myself and illness and make life miserable. The more I pour myself into making this a better world in which to live, the less I think about myself.
I think what's so confusing about "invisible illnesses" is that we often require different things, even though we might suffer the same maladies. Some of us need a place to rant briefly every day. Some don't. For those who do, I think it allows us a release so we DON'T focus on them the rest of the time. Make sense?