John's Hopkin's researcher affirms prayer as a timeless, free tool for maintaining brain health

 When I have free time, I sometimes happen upon this Johns Hopkins researcher's videos concerning caregiving and its effects on brain health, but this particular one caught my eye especially because of its scientific affirmation of prayer on brain health.

It is obvious from my writings, blog, and website contain a lot of religious material, and I think it has positively helped me deal with and recover from a chronic mental health condition. 

Reminder: Medication therapy remains my bedrock absolute to maintain my mental health always and every day.

Good Youtube from a psy doc regarding mental health

I came across this video while glancing through YouTube and found it to be very true from my own experiences a long, long time ago when I was starting to get treatment for my bipolar diagnosis.

I hope it helps someone today.

I pray that if you recognize any of these signs in you, you seek good, healing, professional help from a trained physician.

As I have stated many times, I am not a mental health professional and only share my content in hopes that people struggling with mental health issues reach out for good, professional help. It is worth it.

A reminder: I take my meds religiously (and as you can see from my various posts, I'm kind of a religious person. lol. 

Religion aside. Here's to good mental health support and advocacy.

Morning update on a few things

 

Just a couple of quick updates on things I've been working on:

First, my new job search.

I have a phone appointment today with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities to see if they can help me find a "regular" job to replace or supplement my current one as a DoorDasher (it's kind of putting a lot of miles and wear and tear on my car, though it has been a true blessing for me since my dad passed last year)

If OOD is not able to help, then I will intensify my search on my own to try to find the added work.

Second, my Bible reading progress.

I mentioned a while ago that following my dad's example during the last 5 years of his life, I've begun reading through Scripture from beginning to end.

Well, I am up to the Book of Numbers, Chapter 7, and find it fascinating mainly because I can see it through the eyes of our present-day Church teachings. Otherwise I'd be totally confused. In that light, I can sort of make sense of it as it all points to Jesus Christ and His mission and His role as Savior and God. Otherwise I'd be totally confused.

I found that I had to balance out reading the Old Testament with reading the New Testament as well and am currently reading the Gospel of John. It's remarkable when you try to understand the Bible as a whole and in context.

Like I said, I am grounded in the Catholic faith, and that provides some guidance to me as I work my way through it all.

Third, my efforts to maintain a balanced, normal life.

I keep in close contact with my good friends and try to get some healthy recreation in regularly.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get on the golf course yet this year but hope remains!

Until I get this work situation resolved, I'll have to make due with going for walks, reading regular books and watching my favorite sports on t.v.

Lightening up with a little Shakepeare comedy

Lest I get too caught up in my religious leanings, I do like to read regular books to keep me grounded.

I kind of like the classics, but didn't need something heavy at the moment, so I picked up a copy (Kindle) of the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. (It was really cheap, actually.)

I perused the contents and decided that I needed a little comedy in my life right now, so I started reading The Comedy of Errors and am almost finished. 

It is great! (Though I had to read the Wikipedia summary to get a clearer sense of what was going on.)

The vivid language and comical rhymes are amazing.

Spoiler alert: It has a great happy ending notwithstanding the tense, yet comical, first 3 Acts.

It's very down-to-earth and funny. I can see why Shakespeare is so revered. 

Thank you, Mr. Shakespeare and Wikipedia. You made my day.

Hope you have something to turn to to balance out your psyche too.

Two images of Christ on my walls

I have two images of Christ on my walls, opposite each other in my apartment.

The first is a crucifix that hung on my dad's old bedroom wall during the last 15 years of his life, and so has special meaning to me.

He endured a lot during that time, but each healing brought even greater times of fulfillment for him, especially with family and friends. He died last year at 93 with a smile on his face.

The second is one that I struggled with at times because I had trust issues with Jesus. Notice the wording on the image: "Jesus, I trust in You!"

(I had a bad experience in a Catholic seminary as a young man.) 

I found out that He quite understands and doesn't blame me.

He knows what we've all been through and what we do or don't need at any particular moment.

These images are reminders for me as I go about my daily business.

I like them.

Solitude vs. loneliness

 

Good morning.

As I start the day, I am thinking of what I consider to be two sides of the same coin. 

Namely, solitude and loneliness.

The first is a gift, and the latter is, quite frankly, a curse, in my experience.

Now I have experienced both at various times in my life, and to me it comes down to my making a choice when the occasion arises.

What do I want? Do I want to thrive, or do I want to merely endure and suffer?

Both states can be totally in touch with reality. 

The more we see the benefits of one and the harm of the other, the more we can practice making that choice throughout our lives.

Both solitude and loneliness arise from the same occasion or accidental situation.

A comparison (you can look it up):

"Solitude is the state of being alone, often by choice. 

Unlike loneliness—which carries an involuntary, painful feeling of isolation—solitude is generally a positive, constructive, and peaceful experience of being present with oneself. It is commonly used for reflection, creativity, and spiritual growth."

Personal reflection: 

Now being able to make a choice between the two states given a particular circumstance is, in my experience, like training a muscle. Every opportunity to make a choice either brings us closer or farther from fulfillment.

Ask yourself the question, "What do I want?"

Make a choice: will I embrace the gift or not?

For me, that awareness of the ability to choose started way back when I was 26 years old (I am now 59) when I had reached my limit mentally, emotionally, and physically while under great stress in a Catholic seminary.

I reached out for help and eventually was given GREAT relief from medication therapy.

Since that time, my relationships improved as well as my ability to work and be productive. The ability to make choices between growth and stagnation.

The sun will come up... a personal belief

 

I am kind of stuck in my apartment today because of an arthritic knee, and I needed some color, beauty, and creativity to brighten my day.

I know, it's pretty simplistic, but it did cheer me up a bit as I contemplate my financial plight and my prospects for going back to "regular" work after serving as my father's main caregiver until a year ago.

The mind can be a wonderful and brutal thing on its own.

Anyway, as a Christian, I do believe that there is a beautiful sunrise waiting for the faithful, but I just am not ready to put that off until the afterlife to realize it.

There is too much life in me still.

Let this little illustration be my prayer for the realization of some temporal dreams of mine.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.