Ch.87 Spring Colors and the Lewy Body Lifestyle.

Ch.87 Spring Colors and the Lewy Body Lifestyle.

April, 2021.

          Spring colors! Silver-green new wisps of leaves sliding down Willow branches; Yellow-green Birch leaflets; red-brown sandstone boulders newly fallen during winter and only visible now that the snow has melted; red and brown leaf buds and coverings from Red Maples and many other trees; bright yellow daffodils by the sides of the roads; dark green evergreen needles and leaves dominating the hillsides; newly turned black soil in farm fields ready for planting; grey, muddy skies bringing badly needed rain to end a long dry spell; white sheets drying in the wind as we drive through an Amish community on Monday washing day. SPRING COLOR EVERYWHERE.

          I have never seen spring colors before, even though I am almost 77 years old. I mean really seen them as against unconsciously driving through them while concentrating on reaching whatever destination seemed important enough to get there as quickly as possible. Even after I retired from our counseling business, I still kept moving too fast to notice the world around me. But now, thanks at least partly to Lewy Body, or more specifically to the changes Lewy Body has created in our shared lifestyle, I have finally noticed, and been awed by, spring colors.

          Simple observation: You have to drive slow to see spring colors. 25 miles per hour slow. Spring colors are subtle and gentle. They don’t demand to be seen like autumn colors. They only invite your attention, as if they were a little shy.  

          Lewy Body has changed the pace of my life, Pat’s life, our life together. We don’t do anything fast anymore. Our new lifestyle centers around the need to take things one at a time, pay attention to small details, be flexible and patient about schedules and goals, and, above all, to be grateful for every day we have together. Our new motto could be when in doubt, do less, but totally engage in whatever you are doing.

So now I drive through the hills at 25 miles per hour and that’s starting to feel a little too fast. I’ve become a 7-days a week Sunday driver. Fortunately, we live in a rural area. On a good day I’ll only have to pull over once or twice to let other drivers speed by. I don’t think many of those drivers notice the spring colors. Perhaps they do slow down on occasion, though. I hope so. 

          I seldom think grateful thoughts about Lewy Body. It’s a nasty affliction. But I do appreciate the positive aspects associated with the new lifestyle Lewy Body has created for us.

 Pat’s comments on Spring Colors and the Lewy Body Lifestyle:

          Ron, your talking about Spring colors brings them closer to me. I notice them now more than I used to. I like them; it’s a comfortable feeling.

          Ron to Pat: “What do you think about our slowing down due to Lewy Body?

          Pat to Ron: I don’t think about it much. I’m happy with it.