Sunday, 15 December 2013

TURNING THE NEGATIVE INTO THE POSITIVE

Bonjour, 

When suffering from a long term chronic and invisible illness it`s hard to be positive and it`s hardly surprising that some may become depressed. 

A depressed person lacks motivation to do anything, but if pushed to get a little exercise, will likely find their mood lifted.  

However, a person with M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) doesn't lack motivation to do things, and may even attempt them, then find that they are unable to continue and may become very upset about this. 

It`s hard when faced with a severe and chronic illness like M.E. to accept that life has to change. The longer it continues the more likely you are to reach a point when you realise that this illness is not going to go away. So you have to find some acceptance and a different life. 

This poem of mine tries to express the struggle with acceptance.  


Acceptance

To say “this illness I accept”
Is such a very hard concept
To accept my life has to change
To accept it can’t stay the same
To accept how I must now live
To try not to be negative
To accept my limitations
To lower my expectations
To accept I need to take care
To accept energy is rare
To accept I need to have rest
To pace myself and do what’s best
To accept new ways of coping
To find better understanding
To not be demanding on me
To reject those feelings guilty
To accept help on a bad day
To be honest in what I say
To accept I’ll have some bad days
And to feel denial and rage
To stop fighting against my fate
To stop my anger and my hate
To again find myself grieving
To mourn that life I’m now missing
To accept does not mean defeat
To know this illness I will beat
To accept is not giving in 
But hope one day this fight I’ll win
To accept part goes to M.E.
To know it can’t take the real me!
I wish I could say “I accept”
But it is such a hard concept  

I think that once there is some acceptance we can then move forward BUT how to change the negatives of illness into positives? 





A lot of my poems may appear negative. Yet I'm only trying to express all the feelings and emotions that come along with a chronic illness. I'm trying to represent the reality and not some fairy tale. It's much harder to paint a positive picture. 

I know from the comments and feedback that I have received since publishing my poems that many have found them to evoke emotions and tears. I suppose like myself it`s facing the reality of life with chronic illness and to see it written down in words. I myself become emotional when reading my own poems. 

Personally, I would like to believe that I have turned some of my negatives into positives.
  • I have learnt to listen to my body
  • I have learnt how to really rest and relax 
  • I have learnt to appreciate the small and yet important things in life
  • I have met and made some amazing new friends through social media  
  • have learnt how to put myself and my needs first
  • I have developed new skills in writing  
  • I`ve had time to express my self and my life through poetry
  • If I had never become ill I would not have written poems and published a book
  • I have been successful in self publishing books of my poetry through Amazon
  • Through my books I'm helping to raise better awareness and understanding of M.E. as well as contributing to funds for Invest in ME Research     
You can find all my books on the Author's pages here 



I hope my blog will help you to have a look at you life now. 

Do you think you have reached acceptance? 

Can you see some positives from the negatives? 

I hope so. Though I suspect that not everyone will be able to do that. We are not all the same.

I know it`s an old cliché but we only have one life and even if it`s a life sick we still have to make the most of it.
We have to try to see through and get past the negative into the positive.
Bonne chance 
The French Femme 
xxx


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