Posted in Walking

His and hers coping strategies

Whilst hubby and I are similar in many ways, we have very different approaches to shining a light on the darker times such as now, what with his brain tumour, chemo, and Norwich City‘s performance.

How hubby makes himself feel better:

How I make myself feel better:

  • Meditation
  • Pilates
  • Qigong
  • Reflexology
  • Bowen Therapy

Fortunately, what with hubby being deaf and having to rely on subtitles n’all, the volume is turned down when the telly is on and he’s watching what I affectionately refer to as “all that shite”.

In all seriousness though, whilst even he admits that it’s trash telly, we both realise that watching something a little bit mindless and silly, is exactly what he needs after a hard day at work, and to take his mind off what’s going on in his body. If I ask him what he’s thinking when he’s watching these programmes, the response is always “I’m not”. And that’s EXACTLY what meditation should be about. Whilst I have to consciously sit down and meditate, hubby has mastered the art of shutting out unwanted thoughts and focusing on the present. He’s a Zen master, without even realising it.

Fortunately he also likes being outside and staying active, and our trekking trips and holidays balance out any time spent in his man chair. This way we still get out to see the real world; stay as fit as we possibly can despite both having medical quirks; and broaden our horizons.

The Green Spaces Project

Whilst we wait patiently for hubby’s chemo to start, sadly it means that we can’t organise any adventures too far afield. As always though, we have a plan. Neither of us are the sort to sit at home eating crappy food and wallowing in ‘why me-ness?’

Instead, we’re busy organising micro-adventures, mini-trips, and excursions to local green spaces.

We’ve always spent our weekends out and about, exploring the wilds on foot, so there’s not much change there. But we probably have become a bit blinkered to what’s right on our doorstep. Two excursions in and we’ve discovered a public park we never knew existed, complete with a wooden swing suspended from a willow tree; and this beauty:

By 'My Dog Sighs'

By ‘My Dog Sighs’

I’ve always been a fan of street art. Not the “So and so is a knob” sort, but the illustrations and messages that stop you in your track, and make you want to hunt down the artist and commission them to re-decorate the inside of your house. ‘My Dog Sighs’, the artist who created the painting, now has an international following, and it’s easy to see why. I’m in awe of his talent, as are so many others as the piece hasn’t been touched by anyone else yet, and that’s a mark of utmost respect.