The sun was shinning yesterday and the heat was glorious. As a result I spent a good part of the day outside. It felt like I was on a Mediterranean beach and as Dr Conor Kerley mention in the Progressive MS Webinar we recorded last week, the sun is great for producing natural Vitamin D. This supplement is part of my daily vitamin routine, and I was able to remove this pill, all due to the sun. Fantastic.
It is a real source of joy for me to be able to enjoy the sunshine. However, I have photophobia (lights can cause me eye pain), so I have to wear very dark sunglasses and a hat with a visor. All to shield my eyes. It is worth this to feel the sun on my skin.
I also have an intolerance to sounds. Particularly mechanical or artificial noises, so I wear noise cancelling headphones. Last year, during the first lockdown I was able to sit outside with no ear coverings. It was so nice to be able to hear the wind in the trees and the Spring sounds of birds and bee’s. Yesterday it was not like this. Not only did I have to cover my ears, I also had to turn on the noise cancelling. There are so many cars, trucks and tractors on the road.
Even though we are still in a partial lockdown still, the activity on the roads indicates to me, in a very unscientific way, the world has woken up. This yearlong Pandemic slumber is nearly over. More people walking and talking on the streets, and the sounds of children laughing. Perhaps these are positive signs, here in Ireland.
Contrast
In stark contrast to this I was watching how horrific the situation is in India. People dying on the streets from this lethal virus. Putting these two experiences side by side it highlights how the accident of birth dictates so much of what will happen in someones life.
How can I be annoyed about the road noise, when I see what is happening on the Asian continent? Despite my illnesses, I am living in a comfortable home, food on the table and someone who loves me. Plus, I have something which helps me manage my exposure to the cacophony of the street.
My conclusion, I have much to be happy about. Gratitude for what I have has to be my mantra. Now I must head outside again, for my medicinal vitamin D boost, and then I have a little bit of work to do.
