This week I found myself sobbing as I looked at a message from a friend on my phone. I felt powerless when I saw her pain. She experienced a loss that is so devastating and final that I can not even imagine the pain. My sense of hopelessness came from the fact that there is nothing I can do to solve the problem and coupled with the fact that she had moved provinces meant I could not even hug her. It was no surprise to me that soon after that I got sick again. It reminded me of the strong connection between hope and our immune systems.
I love to be supportive where I can and inject a feeling of hope into any situation. In fact, that is why my publishing company and my first dragon hatching company are called Yakhal. It is a Hebrew word for hope, which comes from the bible and means to wait for. But it is a hope that you have certainly in and helps people to endure more hardships than they thought was possible.
Many years back, I did a course in psychoneurological immunology. That is a very long way of explaining how our mindsets affect our health. I was working at a hospital at the time and one neurosurgeon had this course that he presented to patients and hospital staff who wanted to learn more about how to overcome serious health problems. The science of it can be overwhelming, but it explains why cancer patients who remain positive have a greater success in their healing and why there is so much power in prayer. That sense of hope and belief does incredible things to our overall sense of wellbeing.
A big issue in health is the feeling of hopelessness. People who feel like they have no power over their situation or circumstances are more likely to fall ill. Those of you who have read my medieval fantasy books will know that ancient medicine plays a powerful role. Elizabeth is a healer who is an accomplished herbalist. Friar Watt is a former military man who, after leaving the war, became a physical and spiritual healer. In my books, I like to link faith and healing.
How does this tie up with my current health issue? I had to reset my thoughts and remind myself that while I can not reverse her situation, I can gather my strength and support her in her process of healing. I have power over how I choose to respond. I refocussed my energy at writing out my wins again, rehydrating and getting enough rest. I have control over those actions and when I feel stronger, I can give more to those I care about.
Whatever you are facing this week, I hope you will find the courage to pick yourself up, take care of your mental and physical health, and find a reason to hope for a better future.
Extract of Book 4
The rats grew larger each year, but as Zargo’s diet had changed since he had buried himself in this self-contained grave, they left the underground cave more frequently. Some part of the Dragon knew that the forest was dying and that his self-indulgence had contributed to the decay above him, but he no longer cared. Somnus Virdus, had a fungus on its leaves that Zargo unknowingly inhaled as he breathed his fire onto the herb. He could hear his breath moving through his lungs as if through a broken instrument. He struggled to draw in a full breath, but it no longer mattered to him. The wheezing and spasm in his lungs would pass and then he would lie his head down again and let the sleep take him. But it never did and his sleep was in fitful bouts, always interrupted by Ciomennds silent screams as the egg tore through her. For a while, after he had completed his mission, he felt the urge to return to the egg, but he never found the courage. He knew that he would have to look at Ciommend’s body and face his grief. Had it not been for the egg, she may have lived, but it had ripped through her, stealing the life force from her and he had been powerless to stop it. If he had not taken those eggs, perhaps he could have saved her, protected her from her pursuer, so that she could have passed the egg in safety. He had failed her and now not even this herb could silence the regret that raged against him in endless waves. By now, Zargo’s muscles had shrunk to a fraction of their former size. He hoped that his time on earth would pass quickly. For a while, he had opened his mind to the Crystal Water Dragon, but too much about her manner reminded him of Ciommend.