The Winter of Our Discontent
The Winter of Our Discontent
With snow falling here AGAIN today, I am reminded that it has been the winter of our discontent, lingering now well into what is supposed to be spring, yet there is hope that we might soon be able to actually warm our faces in the sun. Having weight loss surgery is much like experiencing that tenuous promise of spring as we emerge from our former selves into a healthier, more vigorous life. The overall outlook is great, but there are unexpected setbacks along the way.
Spring is a time of great transitions. So, too, is our journey. Sometimes I think I have fallen with Alice through the looking glass into a different world where everything is suddenly topsy-turvy and I struggle to find my way forward, especially with regard to how I relate to others and how they relate to me. Unlike Alice, however, I don’t want to go back to my old life, back to being a fat and unhappy man, because I rather like this different world even if I don’t really understand it much of the time. Thus I find myself treading the fine line between the joyful pursuit of personal fulfillment and the fear of what lies ahead, wherever that might take me.
RP