SEX AND DRUGS AND RA

If anyone saw Bazzypants post yesterday "Sex... that would be nice" it really showed the level of friendship, caring, love, humour, support, advice and guidance that can be found here from all the contributors. Several people laughed, griped, moaned and in some cases dug deep in the memory chest to add to the post.

The day started for me and i suspect most of us as a grey, wet winter monday morning when we all had a lot of aches and pains as usual.

For me after reading through the replies it didnt seem quite as grey, quite as wet or quite as "Monday". It reminded me of something I read that I would like to share.

According to Native American folk lore an old Cherokee man sat talking with some younger members of the tribe and told them this story......

"Inside all of us two great wolves fight every day, one wolf is good the other is very bad.

The good wolf fights for joy, peace, love, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolance, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The bad wolf fights for anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow,, regret, greed, arrogance, self pity, guilt, resentment, lies and false pride.

He added "One wolf, the same wolf ALWAYS wins, it is the same every day".

One of the younger in the group asked "but which wolf always wins".

The old man replied........ "The one you feed".

Thank you for finding the time to read that.

Leon.

[norfolkjo]

Thats brilliant xx I've been asked to provide an inspirational quote for a group im involved with and could think of nothing in my current low state. . I am shamelessly pinching this. You have saved me a spoon and it is only six am .. or should I say ladle? ??? Xxx

[Hidden in reply to norfolkjo]

Ive never enjoyed being pinched quite so much

[sylvi]

Lovely and very true.xxx

[Hidden in reply to sylvi]

Thank you Sylvi, those words were spoken timeless generations ago, long before we came along centuries later and ruined a wonderful country and noble people with guns, oops silly me, we are still doing, the same thing. Still at least we wouldnt let that happen now....in Australia for example.

[Caza]

I've read this before somewhere, very true x

[Hidden in reply to Caza]

I guess someone told the old Cherokee too, he passed it on. Maybe its not too late for us all to do the same. XOX

[reef]

brilliant story to read in the morning. thanks for sharing.

[Hidden in reply to reef]

I think maybe the old Cherokee meant it to be shared Reef, that Dermatoligist in Swindon, is it in Manchester Road?, I can only assume thats why a lot of people with skin conditions walk the streets in that area, they must all be looking for a Dermatoligist!.

[Rosie_rabbit]

Morning Leon,

I just wanted to say that in the short time you've been on this forum how you've brightened it up and offered support, friendship and kindness to many. You made me laugh so much with your debenhams and spoon theories yesterday, thank you.

You have suffered so much with your RA to be wheelchair bound within three years and at such a young age and yet you are always positive and thoughtful. I think you are an inspiration to us all to keep our minds positive in the adversity of this dreadful disease and I think that quote just about sums you up.

So thank you for coming on here and bringing light and humour, certainly into my life and I'm sure into many others too.

Rosie x

[Hidden in reply to Rosie_rabbit]

Thank you very much ive had so many nice replies so ive sent a reply to all of you.

[trace65]

This has set me up for the day , thank you Leon x

[Hidden in reply to trace65]

Trace you set yourself up for the day, I just passed on an echo.

[nellysgran]

Brilliant and so true, thank you for cheering me up this morning XX

[Hidden in reply to nellysgran]

Thank you Wendy, im sure your grand children love stories too, I guess if 62 is not too old to learn something new from a story then they arnt to old either. I believe M&S is now just a retailer, when my father worked for them in 1964 and for quite a number of years after they were so much more than that to their employees. They were far more successful then as well, still thats progress im told.

[mattcass]

Hi Leon, Nice to meet you, your post is so true.Matt

[Hidden in reply to mattcass]

Hi Matt, thank you and a pleasure to meet you too. I assume that young lady in the photo is the wife you were referring to?. Shame on you sir!. You must have snatched her from her mothers breast when she was barely weaned if you have been married that long.

I do hope you lot dont vote out, I have just themed my spare room round some union jack cushions and I would therefore hate the flag to be changed, perhaps if someone puts this arguement to dear Alex he may drop his campaign.

[mistymeana]

That's lovely and very wise Leon. I think I need to memorise it so I can try to ensure I always feed the right wolf x

[Hidden in reply to mistymeana]

Oh Misty bless you, you dont need to memorise it, there is no need I promise you. The words are not the impoortant bit, just remember what you replied.

[Hidden]

Love this thanks for sharing x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Well thank you Felicity, but the words were not mine, I had no right to ownership of them, since the day they were spoken and heard they have been everyones to share.

[hatshepsut]

Thanks for that!

[Hidden in reply to hatshepsut]

For what??. Thank whoever told the old Cherokee, I just typed a post.

[allanah]

Marvellous , thanks for the laughs and stories x

[Hidden in reply to allanah]

Well thank you, but im given to understand that old Cherokee told the story a long long time ago, I think I only just heard the echo. Im pretty much sure the music he heard had as many answers for him as the music you hear does for you. Maybe all we need to do is sit quietly for a while.....and listen.

[Hidden]

Well bless you all your comments are very kind. Im pleased if telling some old Cherokee tale has helped in any way. But you have made me think.

I have taken a step (oh how I wish!) well put my wheelchair in reverse slightly recently and realised that this was not a disease I caught, it is my body that is doing this to me and until close to 3 years ago before it threw that switch I was absolutely fine. There may have been a trigger or causes but whatever it was that changed the ingredients were already in me, something in the mixture changed the nature of them in my body and the rest is my immune system reacting as it believes it should.

There are many things that modern medicine doesnt come close to understanding yet, but the answers are there, somehow we have to find them. If anyone watched the programme on the BBC recently about placebos they may have been as surprised as I was, if you didnt see it i think it is still on iplayer and I strongly recommend you watch it.

Scientists are now not discussing IF placebos work, that is a given fact (according to them) and if anyone doubts the power of your mind to change the way you feel then please ask yourself this..... just how did that story I told you make a difference to how you felt? and how can any other words that you read or hear possibly effect RA?

well they cant, can they? so somehow you must have changed......

But hang on now, that means you felt differently but all you did was read a story about an old indian and YOU changed the way YOU felt????.

Wow!!! Well you must be pretty amazing then cos it takes me stacks of drugs and a big slug of morphine to feel any benefit.

So whats your secret friend?? Come on you can tell me, but if you do AND you can explain it I promise I wont tell anyone......I will tell EVERYONE.

But then I think...... maybe that old Cherokee knew something when he told that story, maybe he knew something about modern medicine?

Maybe some of the treatments he gave just worked because the patients believed that they would....... but hang on, isnt that what the scientists are now discovering? and dont we call it.... well...... a placebo?

But maybe thats all just Mumbo Jumbo. You decide.

My thought for the day.

A MAN NEVER STANDS SO TALL AS WHEN HE STOOPS TO HELP A CHILD

Happy Tuesday.

Leon.

[dcj14 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for the sharing the story Leon, so true, I have already shared it with my nearest and dearest. I saw the programme about placebos too - SO interesting. I'm a strong believer in the mind-body connection - I just need to work on applying it more to myself! It's not mumbo jumbo, that's for sure. Thanks again for the inspiration, take care x.

[Hidden in reply to dcj14]

Kind of you to reply, I think there is another placebo program on you tube but I cant remember what its called so you will need to search "placebo" on the you tube page, im told it has some of the same content but I havnt been able to check it cos my tablet has been crashed for 24 hours, im glad youve shared out the good vibes.

Leon.

[Bazzypants]

Great wise words xxxxxxxxx wonderful.x

[Tessthomy]

all very profound and thought provoking, you obviously have a way with words Leon! Thanks.. Tess x

[Hidden in reply to Tessthomy]

Thank you for the compliment Tess, I think since the rest of my body is packing up my brain has rebelled and decided to cut its way through the fog of morphine, all I need to do now is try and engage it before opening my big mouth (as quoted by my darling ex wife!), I think its the same brain they kept trying to get me to use at school!. Loved your picture but the floods look terrible!, if they dont do something about it soon your hacks will be just a splash splash instead of a clip clop, ooooooh own horses, you may be about to see my jealous side. Leon.

[Opal76]

Thankyou, I've posted this on my FB page to share your wisdom, quite lovely!

[Hidden]

Oh goodness, they wernt my words hun I just typed them, but thank you and the more of us that think good feel good, so post away. When im as exhausted as you have posted in the past I take myself off to bed regardless of the time and I rest.

If your looking for heroes try the mirror in your hall, you struggle on with this awful disease every day and look after your daughter with 2 difficult conditions and a 7 year old son.

None of us ever know how strong we are until being strong is the only choice left...... Go you!!

[Dancingqueen]

Well Leon Thank you for this uplifting story. I am going through a bad phase at the moment with pain depression & much more which I won't bore you with. I will keep trying to feed the good wolf. I have a special affinity with wolves . So this really speaks to me.xx

[watson3]

What a lovely post. We can learn a lot from that old Indian. Thank you for posting it.

[Hidden]

Thank you Watson3, glad you enjoyed. Best contemplated over a few of your favourite chocolates.

[Dancingqueen]

I just have a love of Wolves & all animals Leon & sometimes a positive story or word goes a long way. Yes I do have my dark days but I'm sure we all do. Sometimes when I feel old & I cannot get around it is depressing. I am a positive person most of the time but when you tire easily & don't feel well it can seem bleak. So a cheery word or comment can make all the difference. Thank You.x