Even in a Rainstorm I Seek Out the Positive

We’ve had a very strange “winter” so far here in the mid-Atlantic. I used quotation marks because we’ve barely had a winter.

We’ve only had a few days of significant cold. Otherwise, it’s been bizarrely warm — and wet. My region has had so much rain recently that I’m starting to think I’ll need a raft pretty soon to feed the horses and the other animals.

Last week, the farm I live on was in the path of some pretty nasty storms. Just two miles down the road, power poles were snapped, lines were down, and a neighbor had a tree fall on a fence, causing his horses to briefly escape unharmed onto a neighbor’s property.

We had several warnings about the severe weather, so I canceled my Pilates class that night to be home in case something happened. I’m glad I did!

I live in a rural area where everyone has well pumps for water. So, no power means no water, either. While we have generators to hook up if needed, it seemed unnecessary for what I assumed would be a brief power outage. Instead, I hauled buckets of water from a full trough outside in the pouring rain to the couple of horses that were inside stalls.

I must admit, I was laughing while doing this. Laughing because my dogs were sitting in the cozy, dry barn aisle, watching me. Laughing because most of the horses were standing outside in the pouring rain despite having access to shelters, watching me. And I was quite glad that I’ve finally gotten my latest pain flare under control so that I could haul these water buckets in the rain without too much difficulty.

Having Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) entails many negative things, including chronic pain, fatigue, limited activities, and the risk of injury. But along with these negatives comes an ability to see positives more easily if you learn to focus on them. Mind you, for a long time, I wasn’t able to do that. But I’ve finally decided to set my mind to it and demanded that I find the positives in a situation instead of the negatives, and it’s amazing what I can see.

As is common with EDS, I also manage anxiety. It’s been a long process that’s also included learning how to manage my pain, as pain management can have dramatic effects on mood, which of course influences positivity.

Soaking wet in the pouring rain, with the wind whipping up to 60 mph and the fields ponding with water, I had to find something entertaining. Silly dogs, goofy horses, and a thankfulness that all the fences stayed up despite the storm seemed like just the ticket.

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Note: Ehlers-Danlos News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Ehlers-Danlos News or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Ehlers-Danlos.