Joy!

Ever felt as if you could burst with joy?  Excited that something at last will happen?  Some people might be very cynical and say 'well carry on waiting!' or 'who are you kidding?' or 'not again!'

Well life can be joyous but perhaps not all the time.  We would never notice if joy became the norm, BUT, just maybe, there could be a bit more of it.  I have friends in Malaysia who are running projects such as 'Coming Together, Being Together' in Penang, and 'Laughter for Healing' in Johore Bahru, where people come together to play.

Lets bring playfulness back into the agenda in daily life and enjoy something that is fun.  And why shouldn't therapy also be fun?  I cannot go with the 'pain is gain' approach to healing: medicine does not have to taste nasty in order for it to work!  

Having surfaced partially from my bereavement earlier this year, I know that my beloved Peter would want me to enjoy the rest of my life.  I cannot follow this received wisdom that it needs to take two years for recovery from major loss.  Of course the reminders come back, especially at this time of year when he began to be seriously ill.  However it would not be helpful for every Christmas to be a time of personal suffering.  I have to be able to both live with it and to see it anew, and to be joyous that we had such an amazing time together.

Its is not something that I will 'recover' from - rather my life with Peter continues to enrich me and sustain my way forward.