Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Better Angels


If you look carefully you'll see the last quarter moon in the upper left hand quadrant of the pic. I love this angel, part of the Columbus fountain in front of Union Station.

Two weeks have passed since Jake died and the truth is, I'm feeling better. So many of you, and so many of my 'real life' friends were kind enough to remind me that each day I would come back, little by little, to myself. It is happening. I've got a ways to go, but I'm feeling more whole every day. Thank God for the passage of time.

I also credit being love bombed by so many people as a big piece of the healing. If someone you know is suffering and you wish you could do more than express your sympathy, please know that those expressions of caring and empathy are genuinely, tangibly healing. No one can take away another person's pain, but when you generously offer a shoulder to cry on, or just say you wish you could change things, those simple acts make a big difference.

In addition to being love bombed, I've gone hard core with treatments. I believe treatments are post-modern, twenty first century soul retrievals. Though no one treatment is comprehensive (well ... maybe Chinese medicine is), all together they can bring back a serious chunk of soul. I've had acupuncture and therapeutic massage - of course. I've had a manicure and pedicure. Tomorrow I'm going for a haircut even though I don't really need one just yet. But I need a little bit of the sadness trimmed off. I need to lay my head back into the funny sink while someone else washes my hair. I need treatments!

The weather in DC this summer has been incredible - I'm talking low humidity and temperatures in the 80's instead of the usual scorching toxic steam bath. The glorious Colorado weather makes it possible for me to take epic walks all over the city I love so dearly. As I learned from reading The Secret Garden, fresh air is always necessary, especially to cure a broken heart.

My friends here and in 'real life,' the therapists administering the treatments, the steady ticking of the clock and even the weather gods have all conspired to help me recover. I am more grateful than words can express. All I can say is, wow.


Really cool looking, gauzy clouds gave the sky a nice texture yesterday.

35 comments:

steven said...

hi reya, it's so nice to feel the return to all that you are. it allows more of all that you'll be to arrive!
the photograph of the angel, hands on heart staring at the quarter moon is stunning and powerful. really it tells such a story. have a peaceful day. steven

ellen abbott said...

Wow is right.

The Bug said...

Oh I'd love to be in DC now with that weather! It's always steamy (or freezing) when we're there (conference schedules)...

I'm glad that you're letting nature help heal you. I really hope my husband gets out on his bicycle today - we had a sad weekend visiting his mother in a nursing home. The air would do him good!

Peaches said...

Treatments...brilliant, just brilliant. When I read that I thought, yes...that is a great, and proactive approach to healing. I don't do that enough for myself.
Peace to you, Reya, and may you discover many new treasures on you walks.

Deborah said...

so true about the love bombs
so great to hear about the weather and the healing
so inspiring to believe that this pain will pass
and this searing heat and humidity will someday fade as well

i love you so

Meri said...

Love the angel. Love that you're getting treatments that you so palpably deserve. And love "I need to have a little bit of the sadness trimmed off." Would that we could so easily trim off all sadness. Even in your sadness you contribute so much to goodness, to connection.

Reya Mellicker said...

Thanks Meri and Peaches, and YES, one of our cultural values is that treatments are superfluous or about "pampering." We're still so influenced by stoicism here in the U.S. We all need treatments. We do!

But I do hope your hub will get out on his bike. It'll do him a world of good.

Reya Mellicker said...

Bug, not But

Elizabeth said...

And the monument is pointing skywards and upwards..............

word verification:
haleap


as in hale and hearty
ap

as in 'appy
or application

anyway the augers are good.
HUGS

Barbara Martin said...

Reya, the angel in the photo is a true signal things are getting better for you, for which I'm glad.

Speaking of treatments, mine will be a visit to the ROM to see the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Anonymous said...

way to go, Reya. I always said hairdressers were front-line in the therapy department.

JC said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Bug said...

That's too funny Reya - I'm thinking I should change my name because I type it that way all the time!

BTW - I finally posted something new today...

Rosaria Williams said...

And even the pictures have an uplifted feeling to them, a looking toward tomorrow kind of feeling. Serenity is found all around us if we seek it.

Nancy said...

We, out here in bloggy land, are so very grateful for your healing. You mean a great deal to all of us and to know how badly you were hurting, hurt us too. Isn't that amazing? We have met people that are "virtual", in a sense, and we care about them as if they were not. Amazing!

Treatments, are essential to feeling better. I love facials.

Walking outside is detrimental to our wellbeing, I think. We are off this morning to hike and be in nature, which is so healing in itself. Let me know if you are coming in August!

Reya Mellicker said...

All love is 'virtual,' isn't it? Can't taste it, see it or touch it, but it's there. I think we have some version of that kind of connection here in blog land.

Tom said...

good you are treating yourself in all these ways, little and big...I wish i could climb to the top of that Washington monument while the clouds there lowered down to envelope me in a sweet mist...i would probably get the urge to jump into them, however...

Unknown said...

No clever comment from me today. Just sending more healing love and blessings your way. I hope your path to recovery continues to pass quickly.

Butternut Squash said...

Beautiful Angel!. I really like the poetry of trimming a little of the sadness off. When I changed my hair style, while I lived in Japan, my students always asked me what terrible thing had happened to me.

I'm off to a show for the next 4 days, but we have 10 more days at the farm after that if you still feel need for road tripping. August is the big move.

Cynthia Pittmann said...

So glad to hear that you feel "love bombed"...love that expression that communicates powerful healing energy swirling around you...I say, take as many treatments as you need! No point in carrying around a bunch of emotional gunk into the future...love the free yourself from pain treatment plan...also the long lovely walks.

Take care and thank you for your charming and love filled comments at Oasis Writing Link (OWL) blog. <3

willow said...

Love bombs. I like that.

(((boom)))

Here's one from Willow Manor! :^)

Ali said...

You're amazing! So impressed and inspired.

Susan said...

It warms my heart to know you are feeling better, Reya!

Blessings,

Susan

Steve Reed said...

I'm so glad you're healing, Reya. You've come through the worst of it!

Unknown said...

The angel picture is really beautiful. Glad you're feeling better, & glad you're doing good things for yourself & things you enjoy-- I think that's so important.

Geneva Flooring said...

As Im sure it is with all your "followers", judging by the numerous responses you get to all your posts, goin through an experience with you makes us feel like insta-friends:) Maybe its easy for us Aquarians to open up, its always been really easy for me to be honest and open with people, even ones I didnt know. I have had many people in my life where that is not easy for them at all.

Ronda Laveen said...

A little (or a lot) of pampering never hurt anyone. I don't know why We have such a stigma against self-care. It feels so good just to let someone else just wash and style my hair.

alaine@éclectique said...

So glad you're feeling better Reya. I adore that top picture.

Love from Oz x

Geneva Flooring said...

Speaking of heartache and open, honest people, I dont know if you have seen http://mariniksblog.blogspot.com
but it has effected me so deeply. It is humbling to a part of someone else's pain. I just makes me put so much love back out to the universe. She is truely an amazing woman, and she has taken the time to be so kind to little ol' me....I think shes inspirational.

Anonymous said...

I'm really happy to know you're feeling better each day!

California Girl said...

Happy to hear you sounding so chipper.

I'll say "Wow" to your weather. My six summers in Virginia were the hottest summer I've EVER spent! Whew! Steam bath is right. God must be lookin' out for everyone now the Dems are back in.

CocoDivaDog said...

Hey girl,
All dogs go to heaven.
Up there, they have an endless supply of doggie treats to eat.
Jake was very lucky because he was in your family.
And yes, spa treatment is always good for the soul.
((hugs))

Joanne said...

So glad to hear you're feeling better each day :)

tut-tut said...

oh, Reya; I hope you are feeling better.

Anonymous said...

Yes hairdressers are the often unrecognized and underacknowledged part of the healing arts - first stop when my aura is frazzled! Lovely photo of the angel Reya.Wishing you peace and continued healing.xx