A Hard Pill to Swallow

Every day I have a plethora of pills to swallow (Do you like that word?  I got a good laugh out of its use in the movie ¡Three Amigos!).  There are days I sit, look at the pile, and think to myself, 'I can't swallow these anymore.  I will choke to death on them.'

I have to say the amount of pills I take now are much less than they used to be.  I eat better; I use a mixture of Eastern and Western medicine in my health care, such as chiropractics, acupuncture, micro-current, essential oils,  regular check-ups with both my PCP and my neurologist; I do yoga; and have hobbies to keep me active--gardening, photo restoration, genealogy, scrapbooking, and of course, blogging.

But physical pills aren't the only things in life we are sometimes asked to swallow.  Some of those 'pills' are because of our own making, such as poor choices.  Some are because of what life has thrust upon us, either because of someone else or just because of circumstance.

Let me share two examples from my life.  One is from back in my younger days.  I was taking a year off from college and loving the single life.  I had a good job, a good boyfriend, cheap rent (living with my parents-haha), a car, and lots of friends.  I had no intention of going back to school--ever.

Well, things started to go down hill.  My friends started to trickle off to school or to get married.  My parents were encouraging me to go back to school.  I'd really disliked my first year so why would I want to go back.  I was really hoping my boyfriend would pop the question.  His mom was too.

Then, the catalyst hit that forced me to swallow the dreaded pill.  On a very romantic date, when I thought the question was going to be coming, I was informed I was 'too intelligent' for him and things would never work out.  We'd had a nice time and I really should go back to college.  Was that ever a slap in the face with reality?

Now I'm not one who sits around and mopes for long.  In fact, I didn't mope at all on this one.  I was so angry by the words 'too intelligent,' I was in hyper-drive all  the way back to college.  I got a job, an apartment, was enrolled in all my classes within three weeks and never looked back.  I got my AAAS  that Spring.

The hardest pill I've had to swallow was given to me on the day before my 6th Wedding Anniversary, May 16th, 1996.  That's when I was given the diagnosis of MS.  Even though the news was devastating and I thought my life was over, I have come to realize I've also received countless blessings throughout these many years.

Both of the pills I mentioned were hard.  I struggled with each one.  I still struggle with MS everyday.  But, each pill brought and still brings blessings.  If I had married that boyfriend, I would have never married Rick or had my two beautiful children.  I'd never have finished up college.  And who knows where or what I'd be now.  And if I'd never had MS (I maybe would have skipped this pill), who knows what personal growth I would have missed.   What growth would my family and I have missed?

So as you look at your plethora of pills--literal or symbolical--think of how they are helping heal you, blessing you, and helping those around you.  And maybe the next time you have to swallow, it won't be so hard to go down.