Forgive, Release And Validation Are Words That Can Change Your Relationship With The Chronically Ill

Fall colors stand out against the evening sky. On this autumn evening in October, I snapped a shot of a tree holding on to the last rays of the setting sun.

Holding on to painful memories and the belief that someone we love did something to us that was unfair, that suffering with a chronic illness is unfair or that your financial situation is unfair serves no useful purpose.

It is time to let go of those thoughts that stimulate negative feelings and decide to reach for the light that points toward positive direction. Before the sun sets today. Forgive someone. And, don't forget to forgive yourself.


Is it 'Nesse', the Loch Ness Monster? It certainly gives the illusion of Ole Nesse. But it is a tree stretching its imaginary neck into the evening sky.

As the sun sets for the evening, it shines on the fall leaves illuminating their colors in the trees.

The green leaves representing summer and the slight colorful ones representing summer's ability to release its ownership of the land and hand it over to autumn.

What do you need to release or let go of to feel peace within?

This picture of the sun rising is beautiful and yet, complex. While I marveled at the beauty of the morning sky, I knew that these blue, orange, golden yellow, wisp of white and black clouds meant a dramatic change in the weather was on its way.

It is a lot like a vast number of people suffering with a chronic illness. Looks are deceiving. The inside can be in constant pain and the mind in disarray, while looking good on the outside.This has to be the number one complaint of people who suffer with a chronic illness; "My family dismiss my claims of fatigue, pain and depression because they believe I look too good to be sick.".

You cannot fix their problems and they are aware of that. However, you hold the answer to the end of a lot of stress and depression. Validity. Validating that you know they may not feel well today, is a major key to easing a lot of tension in your relationship with the chronically ill. "Go ahead, make their day." A dramatic change could be on the way!