New Book On Humor And Healing

I've long believed that humor is essential to healing well.  Certainly nothing can help us feel better than a good laugh!  But it's not always easy to be open to it.  Blogger Carla Ulbrich helps us realize that it really isn't that hard.  Carla is the author of a new book titled How Can You NOT Laugh at a Time Like This?:  Reclaim Your Health with Humor, Creativity, and Grit.   It is filled with funny, wry and honest observations and essays about coping with chronic illness. I like this book because it doesn't ignore or trivialize the reality of chronic illness.  Yet she has a hopeful outlook on life which opens up new horizons and possibilities if we just look for them.

Staying Well When Travelling

I like a good trip as much as the next person.  I like getting away, taking a break from the regular routines and demands of daily life.  It doesn't matter if it's a vacation or business travel.  There is something about a change of environment that helps me feel more alive.  The problem is that the changes in routine and environment can sometimes spell disaster for those of us with chronic illness.

Review: Romance And Illness In "Love Simple"

Chronic illness isn't portrayed often in movies, or at all really.  I suspect there are a couple of reasons for this.  One may be that we don't want to see the hard realities of life portrayed on the big screen, but rather prefer fantasy stories with perfect endings.  But I would argue that truth is better than fantasy.  Whenever a book or film portrays real challenges like chronic illness, it gives us an opportunity to take a closer look at ourselves.  It gives us insight into the heartbreak, the loss, the pain, as well as the joy we all experience.  That's what the movie Love Simple does.

Getting Low: Helping Others with Chronic Illness

I've thought a lot about the phrase "getting low" recently after seeing the movie Get Low.  In the film, Robert Duvall plays a hermit who lives deep in the woods, isolated from everyone that matters to him.  One day he walks into town and demands a "living funeral" for himself and along the way finds forgiveness and reconnects with friends and loved ones before his death.  It is a beautifully told and touching story.  I believe it also charts a path for each of us as we reach out beyond our comfort zone and help others with chronic illness.