Week 5

It appears that Prednizone was not the magic cure to my back woes. Having given it up cold turkey, my back soreness suddenly disappeared following my Monday workout on the stationary bike and elliptical. Also, the range of motion in my right hip has significantly increased and any hip pain has disappeared completely. Seems that exercise is the best cure to an aching body.

Our coaching session this morning was devoted to discussion of turning negative emotions into positives. We went around the room and many of the women, most in tears, described their experiences in doing just that. At the end of class, Meg, who has become a good friend, asked how I was handling all the girl talk. My first thought was that it helps my marriage.

My life experience has taught that we are all in this together, so to speak, in that life eventually throws problems at everyone, and the problems we all face ultimately have to do with life and death. It is interesting and actually inspiring to hear people express how they deal with life's challenges.

Fortunately, this is a truly golden time in my life. I feel blessed in every material way. But at the same time I think there is a hard truth in Norman Maclean's line, describing his feeling following a glorious day of fishing with his father and brother: "But I knew that life is not a work of art, and that the moment could not last." I have begun to learn, better than I ever have, to savor every moment, certainly every good moment. They all are precious, and they are all transitory.