Sherri Jean McCulloch
I experience time and place to bring you delight!
Heart Failure
Well, hello there. It’s been a while hasn’t it? My apologies and a very Happy New You to my readers and subscribers. My absence is not without reason; I am, just as each of you are I’m sure, multi-roled.
No, I’m not talking about holiday excess and double chins, Tim Hortons soup accompaniments, or workplace chairs or overload. I’m talking about the distinct roles we play for others and ourselves. If you read my blog, you know that in addition to artist, I am a recently retired teacher. You might have also picked up that I am a mother and a wife. I could list myriad roles that make up the ‘I’ that I am. I won’t list them but I will add one: daughter. 
I’m not a believer in ‘daughter’ duties. It’s an old misogynistic idea that I can get pretty riled up about. I do however, believe in taking the steps to feel the way I want to feel, in kindness and in love, and in service to others, especially to those I love and who love me.
I chose to accompany my father (he’s 80 and had a pacemaker put into his body on his last trip alone) on his most recent, planned ‘not so solitary anymore’ trip out of the country. He was pretty happy to have me tagging along. On the second day of the trip, he thought he was experiencing acid reflux, for his first time ever. It wasn’t that.
When I heard the words ‘heart failure’ in the context of someone close to me, it was as if I was in some cheesy movie. I said, What? twice and still could not comprehend what I was hearing.
Now, more than a month later (was there even a holiday season this year?) I’m still hanging out with my father. (My studio beckons as does my husband.) We have been in four hospitals, three ambulances, a medi-vac, a leer jet, and now, we are ensconced in his fairly remote home (no wireless or cell service…what!!!) while he recoops.
He’s doing well at getting better thanks to the wonderful people in those four hospitals, in the ambulances and in the leer jet. He’s feeling loved thanks to his family and friends.
For me, it’s another little adventure on life’s journey that, of course, had ‘news’ for me to experience and learn from.
I’ve never been so whole ‘heart’edly aware. Here’s some great heart links for your exploration! Add some of your own in the comment section!
For figuring out how you want to feel (heartwork)
The Desire Map http://www.daniellelaporte.com/thedesiremap/
For Looking After Your Heart
Sherri Jean McCulloch 