This post is part of the Epilepsy Blog Relay™ which will run from June
1 through June 30. Follow along and add comments to posts that inspire you!
A dear friend of mine whose daughter’s epilepsy first struck
when she was 14 left me speechless. She told me that I, unknowingly, had saved
her from hopelessness, simply by existing.
I had meaning. She saw that I had
a good life despite my condition and could envision a future for her daughter
filled with happiness and achievement.
(Flash forward: In college now, her
child just got all As and is a varsity athlete.) Her daughter’s life has been affected, no
doubt, but her epilepsy never stopped her.
She’s one of the lucky ones, though. Her epilepsy is controlled and she lives with
relatively few barriers. With no choice
but to stay at home, though, many with uncontrolled epilepsy can't work in traditional jobs and struggle to find
meaning in their lives. But what is
meaning?
Starting at the beginning, here's the definition according to The
American Heritage College Dictionary:
"1. Something conveyed or signified; sense or
significance. 2. Something one wishes to convey, esp. by
language. 3. An interpreted goal, intent, or end. 4.
Inner significance…."
While all four apply to our search for meaning, I’m particularly
fond of “4,” which acknowledges the importance of simply who we are. For example, even being the recipient of care
is meaningful to the caregiver, and in a positive way.
When I was looking for meaning in my own life, one article I
found especially helpful was
“Cultivating Contentment: CreatingMeaning in Your Life,” by Rachel Fintzy, MA,
LMFT. While she writes for people
with depression, it’s nonetheless valuable to all. It includes a process labeled with the acronym
“SPECIFIC PATHS” to zero in on meaning for oneself, and she lists possibilities
for meaningful activities and qualities of one’s life. Caveat:
Many of the listed items won’t apply to you, but some may. More likely, they could spark other thoughts as
you identify the meaningful facets of your life. Certainly, it opened my eyes.
Also,
I asked a question on the social media site “My Epilepsy Team,” urging people
who are housebound, unable to have a traditional job, to describe how they find and create meaning in their lives:
“I've was homebound for about
a year after I had brain surgery performed in "2001". I was then
partnered with my first "service dog" that helped me regain my
independence. Now, in "2017" I have had two great "canine
partners" over the past sixteen (16) years, and I am able to accomplish
anything I want in life. I formed a nonprofit organization, called: "My
Assistance Dog Inc." (www.myassistancedoginc.org) to help educate and inform people about assistance dogs and
the amazing work that they can perform. We have been successful helping people
around the world truly understand the benefits these dogs perform. We have a
following on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MyAssistanceDogInc). I learned that it even with my disability, I could lead a
meaningful life and help others do the same.”
“I'm homebound and used to
crochet. I looked for a hospital that
needed baby blankets or hats for newborns and I would make them....”
“…. I sometimes go nuts being
at home. I write poetry and songs… this time I'm writing a book about my life
and hope the Lord helps me through it.”
“God doesn’t give us more
than we can handle. We all have a
purpose hear on Earth. I know it’s difficult. I [have] been fighting epilepsy my whole life,
but WE MUST NOT GIVE UP!!“
But
enough. The last quote says it all.
NEXT UP: Be sure to check out the next post tomorrow at livingwellwithepilepsy.com for more on
epilepsy awareness. For the full schedule of bloggers visit livingwellwithepilepsy.com.
Don't miss your chance to connect with bloggers on the #LivingWellChat on June 30th at 7:00 PM ET.
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