LOCKDOWN DIARY ~ DAYS 7 & 8

April 2
LOCKDOWN DAY 7
The weather suddenly changed to a freezing cold, cloudy, drizzly day... I am so grateful for the rain and cool weather, because the day before I planted out some more tomato, red onion and cauliflower seedlings, and they have taken very well without any wilting-setbacks. I think we were too cold to think about much else on this day.
 
“In logotherapy, the therapist tracks down the self-curative powers of the patient such as courage, powers to defy, humour and gratitude and deliberately reinforces them.” (Lukas, 2000, p. 56) ~ Logotherapy Textbook
 
I like this gratitude challenge that popped up on Facebook today, so feel to share it with you.  I’m sure there are more than just one thing to think of each day that we are grateful for, but this would at least give some ideas to think about.  May it inspire a more deliberate effort towards being more mindfully grateful for our many blessings.

​Just something to think about... ♥️
 
We fell asleep in one world, and woke up in another.
Suddenly Disney is out of magic,
Paris is no longer romantic,
New York doesn't stand up anymore,
the Chinese wall is no longer a fortress, and Mecca is empty.
Hugs & kisses suddenly become weapons, and not visiting parents & friends becomes an act of love.
Suddenly you realise that power, beauty & money are worthless, and can't get you the oxygen you're fighting for.
The world continues its life and it is beautiful. It only puts humans in cages. I think it's sending us a message:

​I tried to find out the author of this piece, but came up with more than one name tied to it.
 
April 3
LOCKDOWN DAY 8 ~ Another overcast drizzly, cold day, but I'm okay with it today. We (mostly me) got a lot done with catching up, cleaning up and sorting out some things. I am surprised at how okay I am feeling most times during this lockdown. For some reason, even though I am extremely aware of how serious things are, I am now feeling somewhat safer... perhaps it is that my hope and faith still intact after the initial fear episodes and sense of helplessness... being taken over and controlled by forces beyond my control.
 
I have somehow been able to separate myself from being overwhelmed with worry about my family and friends and the dreaded impact of this virus on so many of our futures, and crying for all those less fortunate souls out there who are really struggling and suffering... I've had to separate myself from such concerns, because I could feel them destroying me on a level that I could not bear or cope with. I cannot allow myself to be destroyed by what I have absolutely no control over. I have to survive this and help my son to do the same.  My time in this world is not over yet and I am not ready to let go! I still have too much to do and I MUST find a way to survive to DO IT!

A lot of my therapy involved helping me NOT to take on the weight of the world and the pain and sufferings of others as if it were my own. That part of my therapy is what is helping me to get through this now.  As much as my therapist nearly destroyed me during the nightmare time of transference and counter-transference in therapy, I will still always be very grateful to her for the good that DID come out of that time in therapy with her.  I learned so much about myself...

But, studying Logotherapy since then, has added an incredible dimension of healing that I could never have believe possible for me... I am witnessing and living an amazing continuing growth and healing for myself today... a little bit more each day as I continue to face myself and work hard to reach my full potential... refusing to give up on myself!

I will be forever grateful for my time in therapy and especially for Logotherapy in my life and the huge changes for good that I have experienced as a result.

Thank you.  Have a wonderful day!

​~ Panayiota