Never Underestimate the Healing Power of a Good Risotto

Dear Reader

As you know from my last post, I haven't been having a stellar time at the moment.  About two years worth of carefully built walls have started to crumble and I have not been dealing with it very well.  But today, I want to tell you about something I always forget can put me in a much better mood.

This evening, I had dinner with a friend.  I will call her N.  N and I have been friends for about 10 years now (excluding a huge fight we once had) and she is honestly fabulous.  N has this amazing gift that is present in so few people.  Regardless of my mood, my problems, everything else going on in my life, she can make me laugh til I am in pain.  Full on belly laughing complete with ugly faces and tears streaming down my cheeks.  It is magical and she is wonderful.

Have you ever noticed that different people react different ways to not good medical news?  Some will make inappropriate jokes because they don't know what to say.  Some will immediately start talking about problems of their own.  Some will be emotional (my poor boyfriend once had a woman burst into tears when he mentioned I had a tumour).  And then some, the glorious people like N, will do what I consider the best course of action.  They will never stop you talking about it, they will listen and sympathise.  They may ask questions or clarify some details.  But they will never let you sit there and throw yourself a pity party.  They remind you that you are still a person, the same person, and you are not to let this dictate your whole life.

They will remind you that not being able to drink does not mean you cannot go to bars.  Not being able to carry a basket or push a trolley doesn't mean you can't go shopping.  Having headaches doesn't mean you can't go to gigs.  Regular nausea doesn't mean you can't be a foodie.  N is my grounding force, my constant reminder that illness is just a part of me and it does not define me.  The fact that she says things like "what would you say if I told you that I loved bread?" to waiters is just a bonus.

The point of this is, spend time with your friends.  Laughter truly is the best medicine and I feel better now than I have done in a very long time.  A few giggles in a Sainsbury's can do that for you.

Sorry it's Monday folks but have a wonderful week and I'll talk to you soon!

Emma
xoxo