I don’t want to care.
When it comes to health, I don't want to care.
I don't want to appear neurotic or spend too much time preparing special food or too much money buying special things.
I wrestle over the greater problems of the word and think about how small mine really are.
“Just live,” people say.
Yes. I'd like to.
If you are reasonably healthy, this might sound crazy to you. (I'm not sure.)
If you are suffering with chronic illness, it probably makes sense.
We find ourselves making choices that go against the grain and maybe even strain a relationship or two.
A people-pleaser at heart (I'm working on that), I'd rather eat what you have prepared for me. Even if it means being sick for the next three days.
What kind of logic is that?
I might spare your feelings, but it's at the expense of my family. What kind of mother do my children have when I'm sick in bed? All from my own doing? Or not doing?
It's true that the internet is constantly throwing do's and don'ts in our face. A bombardment of fear-mongering and sometimes useless information. I won't follow pages of Facebook that appear to thrive on scare tactics. Websites that deliver more of the same are far from my browser. I'm not into sensationalism.
BUT…
These things find their way to me. At least some of them.
I'd rather not pay attention. But there are times I have to.
Can't I go around with blinders on? Ignorance is bliss, right?
Except when it isn't.
I'm angry that multitudes are suffering due to the chemical concoction that is our world today.
I'm angry that we find lead in baby bibs and BPA on receipts.
I'm angry that many of the ingredients in household goods and make up are hazardous to our health.
I'm angry that the label “natural” or “organic” can't be trusted.
I'm angry that so many doctors won't listen to basic concerns. (Not all. But many.)
Ten years ago I said, “I don't feel like I'm absorbing the nutrients from my food.” I told one person because I didn't want to sound crazy.
Twelve months ago I finally saw a naturopath who looked at my blood work and said, “You're not absorbing the nutrients from your food.”
Oh, really?
Maybe we should trust our judgement a little more.
What is my point here?
It's not about living forever. . .
I want you to know that I try not to deal in scare tactics or doom-and-gloom. My goal is to provide tips and information that focus on the positive side of healthy living.
When I do share something, it's with the goal of educating and providing a little more information to those who might need it. Not so we can live forever. We all have to die some day.
As someone living with chronic illness and with members of my family having some serious health concerns, I want to improve our quality of life while here on earth.
Sometimes that means we need to pack a special lunch.
It means we have to say no when we want to say yes.
It means spending more on groceries than the average family (when we can swing it).
And hey, sometimes it means choosing something bad for us because we just can't do it anymore.
We can't live in a bubble. Nor do we want to.
The eyes of judgment and the advice to just get over it sting deep.
We want to get over it. Really we do.
I'm vowing to not look down my nose at those who live differently. We don't know the circumstances behind someone's choices.
Yes, we can all go overboard. But we may not be in the position of saying when someone else has reached their overboard.
An extra cookie might do nothing to your child, but it may cause someone else's to bounce off the walls until 2 am.
I'm asking for grace and striving to extend it to you.
Let's be kind to each other. Even when we don't understand.
I understand this so much, Stacy! I think the grace part is so huge, and also understanding that what looks over-the-top for one person may be the only thing that brings healing to another person. We all just want to be as healthy and whole as possible so we can love others and fulfill our purpose in this life.
Such great thoughts. I’m glad you shared your heart here.
I am so thankful for your words.
What an articulate and compassionate post! These cares couldn’t be expressed any better … we want the life we have to be good and have quality, we don’t want to live forever. We are sad that there is so much danger that we never thought of or heard of 10 or 20 or 30 years ago, so many chronic illnesses coming up more and more brought on by our food. How well you’ve expressed it for all of us struggling with all these issues. Thank you. 🙂
Your post blessed my socks off! There is someone else who understands! After tens of thousands of dollars spent trying to find out what was ailing me and subsequent treatment, I have found how important it is to steer clear of every toxin I am able to and to refrain from eating the foods that my digestive system won’t tolerate any longer. I apologize for offending those whose foo d I can’t eat or whose soaps I can’t use. I have to have grace for the offenses that come my way in the form of eye rolls, raised eyebrows and comments of ‘she is so fussy’. They don’t understand…and I hope they never have to find out the hard way. Thank you for articulating so well the strain of trying to have a quality of life while God gives us breath while dealing with chronic health issues.
Wow that is really profound! And it is soo what I would love to say to people when they look at me as if I am crazy for caring what the ingredients are on everything I put into my son’s body as well as my own. And my husband who thinks I am nuts and could care less the chemicals that are in that box of cereal or that frozen pizza. I don’t want to offend. I want to educate cause most out there don’t know what I know. And if they do and decide to ignore it, thats their own deal and thats their choice.