“Sometimes, darkness can show you the light”

If I asked you to check out your music collection and pick a song that really resonates with you, I am pretty sure that everyone of you reading this could find that one song that touches your heart and speaks to your soul.

I have plenty and each one for different reasons but this past year, the one that has become almost my mantra is a song called “The Light” by the rock band Disturbed. Let me tell you why…

As somebody who has battled Fibromyalgia since 1989, there have been many dark times. Moments of fear and frustration, the continual picking myself up, only to fall down again. The lack of understanding from friends and family, the dismissive attitudes from medical professionals.

For sure, this Fibro journey has been really tough at times but the one constant has always been my ability to keep on keeping on…because at the end of the day what real choice do we have?

Anybody reading this, would think “we all have choices” and yes we do.

We can choose to stay in bed each morning, we can push through the pain when we know we should be resting, we can choose to eat the junk that we know initiates a flare, we can skip dates with friends because we are not up to it but the one thing that we, as Fibro Fighters can not do is to give up.

Sadly, I see so many times on support groups,  people who really feel there is no hope, that Fibromyalgia has them in it’s grasp. They are resigned to their lot in life, accepting that this is it and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. At these times I have a mixture of emotions, sadness coupled with frustration.

I wish that I could shake each of these people and tell them “don’t give up” but also just hug them and say “You can do this”.

I despair when I see some many people’s lives handed over to the misery that is strong medication. Of their desire to come off the drugs but being scared that they will be unable to cope with what lies on the other side. There are others who are convinced they can do no exercise and won’t even give the gentlest of stretches a go for fear it will cause them to flare. It breaks my heart to see all of those fellow sufferers whose lives are on hold because they are trapped by pain and fatigue.

If I could give a gift to every sufferer of Fibromyalgia, it would be the gift of hope.

…Hope that on the toughest days, they can hold onto the thought that tomorrow may be better. Hope that with a shift in attitude, maybe, just maybe they can make small wellness changes to their lifestyle that could make a difference to their pain or reduce their fatigue. Hope that Fibromyalgia doesn’t have to mean a life of despair and frustration.

So, what does all of this have to do with the song “The Light?”

On my toughest days, this song gives me hope, it gives me strength and tells me that I can change, yes even with all the challenges and frustrations, I can make changes…..hey, and so can you!!

I can choose to eat better, to do gentle exercise for a few minutes a day, I can choose to change my attitude and I can choose to smile and be positive despite the pain. These choices, I know result in me feeling better about me, better about my Fibromyalgia and able to look forward to better days.

My choices won’t cure me but they will make me feel like I am at least trying. Trying to fight back and kick some fibro ass. Trying to make some small difference to a body that let’s me down so many times.

In the words of Disturbed

When you think all is forsaken, Listen to me now

You need never feel broken again, sometimes darkness can you show you the light

Follow this link to see the full lyrics to this song – just in case you ever need reminding that darkness can show you the light.