From the Margarete Petersen Tarot, the Wheel of Fortune; from the Elemental Dice, "Earth + Water:"
Petersen's Wheel is like looking down into a hurricane as the winds spin around the center. Life is about ongoing change, good and bad; yesterday was a good reminder. My mother-in-law has been agitated lately as her dementia progresses. She was convinced the "bug-man" who sprays for roaches stole some clip-on earrings when he came the other day. If we tried to look for them, she got angry, saying that we didn't believe her. So while she was with my husband at the beauty parlor, my daughter, sister-in-law and I had a covert operation at her home to look for the earrings. Of course they were found (stuffed in a box), but that made us question how much longer she will be able to live alone without 24 hour care.
The dice again produced the combination for "Rain," but today it feels more like tears. Do you know why we cry whether we're sad or happy? Our hypothalamus can't tell the difference; it only knows when it is receiving a strong emotional signal telling it to put our autonomic nervous system in gear. This system is divided into two branches: sympathetic ("fight-or-flight") and parasympathetic ("rest-and-digest"). The parasympathetic, which helps us calm down, is connected to our tear production. Reflex tears (such as when we are cutting up an onion) are mostly made of water. But stress tears (happy or sad) also produce a stress protein, allowing us to literally shed some of our stress. Well now that I've explained all this scientifically, I think I'll go have a good cry.
Not many words today but I can offer you gentle hugs and and loving thoughts my dear friend
ReplyDeleteI'll be hugging you right back, my sweet friend.
DeleteBeautiful card. Laughing and crying the same release as Joni Mitchell says in her song. I stuffed my tears for many many years. It was my coping mechanism I learned early as a child. Not a good thing at all, all that cortisol building up in your body. I get a little concerned if it's been a long time since I've had a good cry, because I suspect I've been suppressing or repressing. Many blessing to you and Ellen today. I am thinking of you both and lift you up in my prayers today. <3
ReplyDeleteThank you Catherine. :) Your reply made me remember a poem I wrote many years ago about different kind of tears:
ReplyDeleteThe Weight of a Tear
My daughter,
With her long colt-like legs,
Has grown as fast as kudzu.
I no longer bend over
To hug this woman-child;
Yet she still snuggles close,
Laying her head on my shoulder,
Whispering softly, "Love you, Mom."
What is the weight of a tear?
It is a butterfly's wing,
The brown feather of a wren,
A dust mote in a shaft of light.
My stepson,
With his striking good looks,
Has a dry well of self-love.
Enslaved by drugs and alcohol,
He must feed his addiction daily.
We watch without control,
As he performs a slow suicide,
While we pray for his release.
What is the weight of a tear?
It is buckets of wet sand,
The crash of an ancient oak,
The wrath of a tornado.
Hi thesycamoretree, crying is healing and brings a bit of relief. Just send you strengh and a kiss. I wish things be better for all your family.
ReplyDeleteThank you Las Magas. I think the whole world needs all the love and healing everyone can spare right now. :)
DeleteHope the tears helped damp down the maelstrom, Bev! And thank you for the science, I never knew that.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Kxx
I suppose we all get both the rain along with the sun.:) Thanks for the hugs!
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