Feeling as if I am moving on

The intricate lace-like pattern of bare winter tree branches, silhouetted against the steel grey clouds rapidly filling the sky, catch my eye today. I am out for my daily constitutional, wishing that I’d brought my camera with me to capture those trees. I remember how, as a young art student, one who normally preferred drawing people, I went through a phase of tree mania. I was fascinated with the patterns of bark and the dance of the branches and the serpentine nature of some tree roots.  Every tree has its own special sort of character.

This photo courtesy of browncreative.com doesn’t quite capture what I saw today, but it gives you the right idea. Love the abstract look you get with pattern of branches.

I have to say that the barren look of the trees contrasts sharply with the sultriness of the air. I push up the sleeves of my long-sleeved t-shirt and wish I’d opted for a regular one. And put my hair in a ponytail. It may be January, but it feels like spring. It feels like thunderstorms. And indeed, heavy rain and the potential for severe thunderstorms is in the forecast, moving in after midnight and continuing most of tomorrow.

The twinges are beginning; FMS does not like big changes in atmospheric pressure. Tonight & tomorrow will not be easy days for me.

Oh, well, at least I am getting some fresh air and exercise while our dirt and gravel road is not a mud-slick morass. I live in a somewhat hilly county and I can feel the muscles working as I make my way up this incline: the calf muscles, and thighs, and those gluteus maximus muscles.

 It’s good to feel a soreness that is not related to Fibromyalgia Syndrome, that is not a searing, burning sort of pain that makes one imagine they know what it feels like to be tortured with a red-hot iron poker.

Later, that will come. But I won’t think about that right now.  More pleasant prospects fill my mind.

I will think about the luncheon date planned for Thursday with a friend. We got to know each other while I was working for the newspaper and she was always a big fan of my writing.

SM was an orphan who lived in several foster homes before being adopted into a loving family when she was a little girl. She grew up to be a tireless advocate for foster parents and children. A former city councilwoman, SM founded and orchestrated an annual dinner for our county’s foster families for many years, an event held in memory of her late husband, a prominent businessman who died in a tragic drowning accident.  She’s active in the Kiwanis, which gives foster parents and their children a luncheon each Christmas with a visit from Santa and gifts from wish lists provided by the kids.

SM is a go-getter who has dreamed of creating a children’s book about foster families and adoption. She’s approaching 70 now and says she wants to make sure it happens soon. And she’s asked me to collaborate with her because she believes I “can tell an interesting story and do it justice.” I am excited about this opportunity, I have to say.

There are some other opportunities presenting themselves, although I am not quite ready to discuss them yet. Let’s just say that I feel that this year may be the year when things really do turn around for me.

For that, I am grateful.

Related articles

• Fibromyalgia: What the Symptoms Are (nightcaptv.com)
• Fibromyalgia Syndrome (thespiralmind.com)
• Fibromyalgia Organizations (fibromyalgiaodyssey.wordpress.com)
• Drug Problems Cause Increase Need for Foster Families (wsaz.com)
• 12 Days of Caring: Agency helps parents prepare for foster children (pennlive.com)
• My Turn: At-risk Alaska kids need foster parents (juneauempire.com)