"I do not know whether I was then a man dreaming I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man."-Chuang Tzu
Each autumn, the Monarch butterflies begin their overwintering process. They travel thousands of miles, to the coastal trees of California and Mexico to spend some time in the warmth of the sun. It's part of their survival. Well, since I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, I have been identifying with the butterflies somewhat. See, I used to love the cold weather. I would be just the opposite of those afflicted with Seasonal Affected Disorder. My depression level actually improves with the cold, dark days of late autumn and winter. Daylight savings time is practically a holiday to me. LOL. Any excuse to celebrate right?
Unfortunately, with the onset of Fibromyalgia, came swelling and deep pain in my hands, legs and feet. Last winter it was so bad at times, I couldn't sit and type an entire entry at one time, I had to use the draft feature and comeback later to finish it. The Fibromyalgia was a new diagnosis, and I hadn't learned a lot about dealing with it. But now I am almost an expert on how to care for myself during the autumn and winter. All that is involved is altering my lifestyle a bit. LOL. Easy for me to say. LOL.
Actually, it hasn't been all that difficult to change my lifestyle, and my hours. So now, instead of staying up until Alan leaves for work at 5:00 AM, I go to bed no later than midnight. Elvis wakes me for breakfast at about 7:00 AM, which gives me a chance to get my gardening, and my housework done well before noon. And it also gives me a couple hours to work on my entries, without cutting into Alan/Elvis and Me time. :) I get tired easier these days, these autumn days, so, if I want to still be an amateur photographer, as well as a wife, and mommy to the world's most animated cat, and a blogger, I have to accept the fact that I must change my wicked, wicked ways. :) I even have some help from H. P., who I usually text with in the wee hours of the morning. He is my buddy, so he is there whenever I need him, which makes him a good friend indeed. I am a lucky overwintering girl!
"What Is Seasonal Effective Disorder?" WebMD
Monarch Butterfly In North America FAQ
-OndineMonet
"Overwintering"
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, California
October, 2007
Afternoon
2 comments:
I'm glad to hear that you've figured out how to cope over the winter months, and I absolutely LOVE this photo of the monarch - it's gorgeous!!!
Overwintering sounds great! The colors of the flower and the monarch really compliment each other. I don't know too many flowers than can almost steal the show from a monarch but these come very close :-)
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