When I am having an "off" day, the country life helps me to better enjoy my surroundings than I had been able to do in the city. I needed a slower pace. Well, maybe not a "slower" pace, but a different kind of pace.
Life in the country is not without its difficulties and challenges, but the trade-off for the large dose of peace and to be in nature from the time I wake up until I go to sleep is exactly what I need. Listening to the birds in the morning and the crickets at night makes me smile, well, mostly.
Ever since I began my battles with Addison's, one of the ways I have been affected is that I felt the need for more space, and I needed more time in nature...I needed more time alone, yet I am NOT lonely. I wanted to be free of feeling as if I am display or some kind of guinea pig. I needed to step outside of my house and sit in the middle of nature, without a solicitor coming up to sell me something and without having to listen to the neighbor's dogs bark at me as I try to sit peacefully in my backyard and to get through a night without hearing the party next door.
External noises are fine, but getting a bit of space between me and that noise seemed to be imperative. I began to go all day without any sound, just the sound of life itself. Things changed for me.
Of course, we still have many fun times with family and friends, but on a day-to-day basis, I enjoy being in the forest.
Other times, I LOVE being with my first grand-baby...a precious baby girl named Coraline. She fills my heart with joy, as if I was a truck running on empty and she gives me long-lasting fuel each time I see her.
However, living in the forest, on a beginning farm means that each day offers something new. More than that, each day offers a bit of excitement and exploration. And I get to be around baby animals...that is awesome.
I guess if I had to explain how it feels to live in the country, I would have to say that being on this acreage puts me farther away from man-made life and closer to Heaven...kind of an in-between location that suits me, perfectly.
Most people living with a serious illness would rather live closer to city amenities, but I changed gears and went from being a full-blown city gal to running the other direction. Fortunately, my husband was ready to do the same.
Now, when he is home, he says it feels as if he is already on vacation. There is a longer commute, but the time home is savored.
Life is beautiful. Oh yes, there are struggles, more than I can say, but the overall take away is that life is incredible, always full of exciting twists and turns, and the glorious moments smother the bad. That's the bottom line.
And I leave you with this thought...
