Smiling in the Face of Pain And Reducing Stress
by Jennifer Black
One Day At A Time; That’s how I do it. That’s how I deal with the pain I feel daily.
For a couple of months now, it’s been harder than usual for me to get up in the mornings. Some days I don’t get up. I just sleep in!
Today, I went to the hospital, to see the Primary Care Doctor, for the first time.
They took blood and scheduled an appointment, in a couple of months, for other tests.
I went back to the hospital on September 6th, for an ultrasound, to try to find out why I’ve been losing my vision and keep passing out, off and on, with no warning.
It seems like I’m not getting any better…not physically, anyway. I was doing better last year…
Maybe it’s because I’m so stressed out! I was stressed while my daughter was incarcerated.
Now I’m stressed since she’s been out, because she got out August 29, 2016 and I hadn’t heard from her in about two months.
The fact that my grandson’s father wouldn’t let my grandson see or talk to me, also bothers me. I can’t eat or sleep. I need to stop thinking so much about other people and think more about myself.
That’s why I’m glad that I’m able to work at The Market. Selling the paper at The West Side Market helps me focus on other things besides sitting around and thinking about my problems.
Selling the Street Chronicle helps me focus on other things besides my health and my problems.
Working helps me to not focus on the pain I feel every day. As I sell my papers, I share my story with the people I sell to. I tell them my name and encourage them to read my article. Working makes me grateful that I’m able to get up and move around.
I can’t wait to see my regulars, like Miss Ann, who has helped us. Meg, the flower lady, and a lot of the other vendors at the West Side Market, are also nice and have been good to us.
I also appreciate the churches and the centers, on the West side, that provide meals for the homeless and for people like me, who don’t have or make a lot of money. It’s a blessing to those of us who have so little, that these people care so much to help us.
Selling the paper, seeing my regulars, being able to get a meal when I need it…these things put a smile on my face the two or three days a week that I sell my papers at the Market. These things and these people, help me smile in the face of the pain I feel daily.
I’ll be praying for everyone who needs help, as well as for those who do help. Have A Nice Day!
Copyright Cleveland Street Chronicle September 2016 Issue 23.3 Cleveland Ohio