How often do you wonder if you are losing your mind? Have the signs of dementia? Becoming more absent-minded? It’s not an uncommon concern as we age. And if we have had loved ones suffer through the ravages of dementia, it is more than a concern…it’s a fear. And, Lord knows, we have enough to fear if we dwell on the state of our world today.
Recently, my friend and our fellow artist/photograpy-genius, wrote me the following email. See if you can relate:
Tuesday
February 28, 2023
I woke up and listened to my daily devotional first thing. I’ve listened to Nicky Gumble Bible in One year for four or five years now. Today’s started out, “ This is the Bible in One Year Day 59” Rich in Mercy is today’s title. It’s a great way to read through the Bible and I highly recommend it. A friend of mine has started a group through the Bible app and we are all reading or hearing the same passage each day together. After my devotional, I went to get the shower started. It takes a bit of time to warm up so I went to the kitchen to make my smoothie which sounds like a healthy way to start the day, but it’s really kind of a milkshake. Anyway, I saw a magazine on the sofa and instead of putting it away decided to flip through while I enjoyed my “smoothie” Then I decided to take this party to the porch because it’s just so beautiful. Now I am enjoying the warm morning with a magazine and my “smoothie”. Such a great start to my day so far. After a while, I went to the office to grab my BSF notes and read through those too. I’ve been in BSF 10 years now. Let me know if you’d like information on how to be a part of what I think is the best Bible Study around and not to mention the wonderful godly women I’ve met. I finish my notes and go to the kitchen to put away my super cool smoothie cup my friend Lisa made for me on Shutterfly and remembered the dishwasher ran last night so now I am unloading and reloading the dishwasher when I remember that there are a couple of glasses in the bedroom so I go to get them and I hear the shower that I turned on over an hour ago now… soooo I just jump in because I feel it’s what I should do at this point because I feel kinda stupid for letting it run so long. I finish my shower, get dressed and comb through my hair for the day and head back to the office to finish my lesson for BSF tomorrow and notice that I came in from the porch and left the porch door open to the living room because my plans were to go right back out and water the one pitiful plant that survived the winter. I close the door and it reminds me that I was in the middle of loading the dishwasher so I finally complete that task. To be honest, the entire forgetful-filled morning rattled me so I decided to sit and write about it and laugh about it and be a bit merciful to myself. It’s only 10:30 in the morning now and I am going to get going once again. I’ll do a double take at my feet before I leave the house just to make sure I have shoes on. It is a beautiful day though so if you see me barefoot it’s not because I forgot my shoes. It’s because I am a southern girl and the temps today are perfect for bare feet. wink wink.
Vickie has been my dear friend for about 30 years. She always makes me laugh. And laugh I did when I read of her interesting morning. I actually wrote one time about a similar day in my own life which started out as taking an errant spoon to the dishwasher and finding it much later in the day in the laundry room….after a very circuitous route through the house. I had to stop and write about my adventure just like Vickie did. I had a good laugh at myself. And laughter is good. I am quite sure that if we learned to laugh more, we would be healthier and happier. And laughing at ourselves helps us give ourselves grace and mercy.
I have read that laughter can stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Laughter can activate and relieve your stress response. In the 1300s, visionary French surgeon Henri de Mondeville, a professor of surgery, advised telling patients jokes after an operation. And Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, identified the power of laughter and “gallows humor” to let go of stress in times of crisis.
I hope you are giving yourself grace and mercy to allow for those crazy days you may experience as you search for the keys you left in the front door lock last night or the glasses you have on your head, or your trek around the house searching for your cell phone while you are talking to your friend on it. Oh, yes, I have done all those things. And I’ve learned the value of laughing at myself instead of calling a psychologist! Thank you, Vickie, for this valuable lesson on better self-care! (PS, she gave me permission to share this with you!)
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