Physical fatigue; writing project; Parkinson’s heavy cross to bear; positive from it

To say that sometimes our days don’t go as planned is somewhat of an understatement. We know that some days unfold according to our plans, but more often than not, they don’t. The “off” days seem to generate their own rhythm and priorities, regardless of what we have designated as important. Today was such a day.

It was an entire day that I could spend working. There were assignments to grade, bills to pay, writing to do. With an early start, I would be able to accomplish an entire list of tasks. Or so I thought. The day began as most do: stumble to the kitchen due to stiff morning muscles, make coffee, empty the dishwasher, and sit in the quiet family room. As my muscles and I began to awaken, I started to notice the signs of fatigue from the day before. Yesterday involved a lot of walking, and I seemed to pay the price for it today. I could barely walk or get myself motivated to attack the tasks on my list. Instead, I sat. My wife and I talked. Then our daughter came over, and we all visited for a while.

I love the mornings that our daughter is able to come over and have coffee with us. There is always so much to talk about, and we value the conversation. She filled us in on our grandson’s Halloween costume and plans for trick or treating. We relayed stories and discussed plans for upcoming holiday shopping. All important, but none of it on the list of tasks for the day. Finally, our daughter needed to go, and we needed to move on, as well. My wife started some projects and I ended up in my recliner relaxing my weary muscles, a position I would occupy for another couple hours.

Because of today’s fatigue, I found myself declining an invitation to join my brother at the gym. We’ll go another day, for sure. I took a call from my friend and colleague, who has been incredibly supportive of my creative ideas during this journey with Parkinson’s. I shared my 100-day writing project with him, as well as my plans for this writing to morph into a book as soon as I can determine the proper format for it to take. He was absolutely enthusiastic about my plans, and even said he envied the fact that I have a project like this to devote myself to completing.
Sometimes I wallow in a little self-pity, but it is at those times that I need to be grateful for the work the Lord has set before me in the form of 100 daily reflections on life with Parkinson’s Disease. Sure, Parkinson’s is a heavy cross to bear, but could it be that the Lord has chosen to entrust this precious project to me for a very specific reason? I choose to believe so, and open myself up to the potential blessings of pursuing this project with all my strength and energy.

505 words
Day 93: October 31, 2023
Success!