More About Meds…And Mandolins
Thoughts on health care, mandolins, and joy.
It is iced coffee o’clock because there was leftover coffee from yesterday’s full pot. It’s early and I am on my second cup of iced jo. The hot jo is in the French press waiting for Trish to wake up. I am missing my cats today. I miss their company most in the mornings.
So, the Saga of The Meds continues, but now with my diabetes medication. The good news is that I got it all figured out relatively quickly. But I had to do it. Again, there’s no specific bad guy here and I eventually found someone who would prescribe my metformin and Jardiance, but the system is FUBAR. Once again, my prescription got dropped because I had to change providers. I have a scheduled doctor’s appointment in late November. That’s the earliest I can see my new doc. “We recommend that you go to Urgent Care to have your prescriptions filled.” Blergh. So, I did. They did. I’m medicated again. This patchwork quilt of medical coverage is messed up. Anyway…
On Monday Trish and I were out and about wandering #RVA in celebration of our wedding anniversary and I convinced her to stop into a local fretted instrument monger’s shop. I’m lusting after this little beast. The bridge is not original and the frets have been replaced. Hell, even the sticker has been removed from inside the mandolin and replaced with a heart. It is not a collector’s piece, but it plays really well and sounds incredible.
One of the Girls will celebrate 20 years with a reunion “Tour-ra-loo-ra-loo-rah” this St. Patrick’s Day Weekend in Chicago. I am pondering a new-to-me instrument. More on that to come later. All I can say for now is that I need to play more and not less.
Today’s Franciscan Nugget: “This joy is a divine gift, coming from union with God in Christ. It is still there even in times of darkness and difficulty, giving cheerful courage in the face of disappointment, and an inward serenity and confidence through sickness and suffering. Those who possess it can rejoice in weakness, insults, hardship, and persecutions for Christ's sake; for when we are weak, then we are strong.”
I really am trying to stay in joy. Things…life…is not always as I would will it, but I endeavor to remain joyful and grateful. My postulancy guide was quick to remind me to find joy in the midst of disappointment and hardship. This first year of my novitiate is more self-guided, so I have to remind myself to find joy.
Joy is a touchstone. Joy is a gift. I cannot manufacture it. I can only welcome it.
Y’all be excellent to each other.
Nodding at the "not perfect, but sounds wonderful." My wife still has her childhood violin--doesn't play, doesn't plan to, and I'm a reeds guy--and it is less than full size and has a big split and so is worthless on the market; but to my ear, it has sung beautifully on the rare occasions when someone has tried to play it.
Reminds me of some people I have known, and am thankful for, in my life.
A fundamental difference between happiness and joy: happiness is contingent; joy is a choice. We are human, and emotions and disappointments sometimes overwhelm our vision, but we have the choice to seek joy, even in our sufferings. I don’t remember this nearly often enough.
I’m not Pollyanna. I don’t judge myself for missing the joy in the hardest times. But it *might* be there, and it would probably help if I sought it rather than being overwhelmed by emotions.
#PreachingToMyself