Today is the 14-month-anniversary of my blog – and yes – I’m still new enough at this, or excitable enough, to keep tabs! And as always, I want to do a shout-out of the recent blogs I’ve been visiting, but I want to start with one in particular and the post that caught my eye: the blog is Waltzing with Migraine, and the post was Finding Peace with Migraine.
Not only does it repeat a very similar story to mine (slipping from occasional to near-constant migraines), but it also mentions that she was a once-was-warrior who got tired of imagining herself in a constant battle. I’ve written before (here) about how I understand the appeal of adopting a fighting spirit (and the language certainly resonates when you’re suffering from a migraine ‘attack’) BUT I also recognize the fatigue that comes from fighting a migraine – because a migraine is YOU.
You just can’t be at war with yourself all. the. time.
You can’t.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – you have to make peace with your situation – even if, or especially because, your migraines are daily.
They suck, I get it – I hated them too when they were my daily companion – but there’s such a blurry line between hating the migraines, hating your migraine-brain, and hating yourself.
Waltzing with Migraine gets it.
In the past I’ve relied heavily on gardening metaphors to suggest a gentler form of healing metaphor (such as here) but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this new idea of “waltzing with migraine” – understanding that your migraine-brain is you – the other version of you – your constant companion, always in a dance with you, sun up to sun down, sometimes falling back and letting you lead, sometimes stepping on your toes and tripping you over!
I’ve also written about this sense of being two people – like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde – but the analogy has so many dark and negative connotations… how much more wonderful to put the situation into a spin and let it play out under dim (never strobing) lights of a dance floor!
At the risk of laboring the point – distinctions matter – mindset matters.
Again, in the past, I have written about how my mood changed when I shifted from thinking about my migraine as a horror story to a sitcom situation: clumsy rather than cruel.
What makes dancing such a nice metaphor, is that you can do it alone (or with your other self) OR you can share the dance with others! I have 1000% certainty that this blog has helped me heal by putting me in contact with so many of you – your daily comments, your emails, your encouragement, has all lifted my spirits and reminded me that I am not alone.
We are all dancing together-apart… wall flowers or divas – there’s room enough for all of us on this giant blogosphere of a dance floor and I love that for us!!
I’m getting a little breathless in my sense of joy, imagining us all doing salsa wiggles and samba grooves, tango trots, and disco slides… and at the risk of showing my age, lets add a little moonwalking (but no twerking thank you)!
The floor would be timber, glowing with a polish that comes from the countless footfall of slippers and stilettos (you do you – but I’ll be the flat footed one).
The walls would be lined with soft drapes that absorb the sound and keep some of the light out, but in a comforting and embracing way, not at all oppressive.
The ceiling might have a bit of glitter and gilding on it, but not mirrors – our vertigo could never cope.
And there, in the center of the room is you – and me – the two of us dancing side by side on separate sides of the world – dance partners in our healing – accepting each other for exactly who we are (no matter how crazy or uncoordinated our dance steps are), encouraging each other on, smiling ear to ear and living in the moment as the music, our favorite, fills the air at just the right volume to be enjoyable, not painful.
Here’s to today, tonight, and every chance we get – keep dancing people – keep dancing.
And on that bright note, one last shout out to the Team Challenge to let you know that I have completed my third card (I’ll keep going – I need to keep my mindfulness practice up – but won’t keep updating you). As a reward, I’ll be buying myself some fancy sneakers that promise you’ll feel like you’re walking on air – here’s hoping!
As for those other blogs I’ve visited or who visit me and deserve some attention: here’s seven that you might enjoy for being similar (or not) to my way of thinking.
Inside the Red Head’s Head – Watch Robert’s Cat Conquer the World
Millypede – Where life meets reflection.
Mysterious Soul – The scars of my soul bleed through words in the form of poetry.
THIS HAPPENED – poetry & art as sadhana in Shiva’s service
Tip of My Iceberg – If you can’t see it, is it real?
Thanks again Waltzing with Migraine for letting me crash your party – and borrow your metaphor – I can’t tell you how happy I am that we crossed paths on the dancefloor!!
Take care taking care out there, Linda x
The Mindful Migraine 
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