AUTUMN: Chase away the blues

Stress: a feeling that takes away my comfort. On this cool and chilly day in November as I sit inside looking out into my yard, I feel melancholy sweeping over me like a flood. I find comfort in my yard and flowers in the summer and now my comfort is gone. It has been replaced by blustery autumn winds and soaking, cold, wet rain. I ask myself what is psychological and why is it even important?

Comfort is a warm blanket on a cold December night. Comfort is a hug by someone who cares about you at exactly the right time when you need it. Comfort is sitting in my favorite chair watching TV or reading a book and not thinking about much of anything. Comfort is macaroni and cheese (and my husband has me add the sweet peas to it and I like that too.

So I think psychological comfort is a feeling deep inside my belly that tells me life is good. Comfort is watching a baby giggle for the first time. A feeling that one is a good person, that their life is purposeful, or listening to a song on the radio and becoming emotional because the song "just makes sense."

I don't like having to think about what stress is to me. It's ugly and gnawing and it takes me away from my comfort. When I was a child and stress was evident in my life I would go into my room and turn on the phonograph, put on a fun record and dance around the room letting my happy feelings take over. Dancing was always a release from stress and I still feel the comfort I would get from that exercise deep inside of me.

It stresses me to write and think about stress. I don't like to remember the things that are uncomfortable to me. Like the things that have been taken away from me. I cannot write about them on paper because they are much too painful. Sometimes I do allow them to come into my mind and sometimes they are within me too much. I deal with it (stress) by trying to accept those things I cannot change by going into my own private "summer garden" and enjoying the warmth and sharing of caring relationships.

BEVERLY WALKER

(Submitted by

Jack Walker)

Coeur d'Alene