Today was another beautiful day - start to finish - warm and sunny and just about perfect. My hubby was out tonight at a work event and so I was on my own once again. I didn't feel like wasting such a beautiful evening so I got into the car, rolled down the windows and took a drive over to an area called The Great Swamp. It is exactly what it sounds like - a great big swamp - but it's pretty and peaceful. There is a boardwalk that winds through the swamp where you can see lots of small pond animals like frogs and lizards as well as lots of different kinds of birds. I haven't walked the boardwalk in a long time, but driving through reminded me that it's something I'd like to do again soon. My evening drive was a mood lifter, I loved feeling the warm summer air and smelling the musky sweetness of the swamp.
Dusk is my favorite time of day in the summer. The sunlight is soft and dappled and the heat of the day has subsided a bit. I like to sit outside with a tall glass of iced tea or out on the back porch or, every once in a while, a relaxing drive through a pretty place is fun, too. I am amazed at how many beautiful places there are near to where I live. My county has more parks than any other county in New Jersey and there are beautiful and interesting ponds, lakes, rivers, reservoirs, historical sites, quaint towns, deep woods and mountains close by. There is no shortage of places to go to feast the eyes and feed the spirit. When I am lonesome, nature can be very good company. Lately I have been feeling the effects of spending too much time alone. I am a people person and this medical leave, while giving me ample time to rest, and have my stress reduced, isn't meeting my social and emotional needs. I often find myself seeking out some aspect of nature to soothe me.
Balance is the key - always and in all ways. I have to balance getting well with staying well. I can find things to do, I can enjoy the quiet, I can use nature to help in my healing and I can appreciate the fact that I have the luxury of a medical leave to tend to my health issues. But I am a complex being and I have to pay attention to everything at the same time - the physical as well as the emotional and spiritual sides of me need to be nurtured, too. I am one month into this leave. I am not making terrific progress with the way I feel, and that's okay, I know time is on my side in that regard. I also know that this loneliness I'm feeling has an easy fix. I need to make sure I get out of the house every day and spend time around people. As I start to feel better, I can make plans to meet a friend for lunch and I can make sure I make a phone call or two each day to stay connected. The social side of things is an easy fix and I am the one who has to take the initiative to make sure it gets fixed.
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