Recovery

I’ve never had a problem with self-motivation, which, as a writer, is handy. Writing a story, finding a publisher, editing to the final draft, can feel like an uphill struggle. My first book is published, the second is in the editing stage, the third is on the first draft, and I still live by the Mantra, don’t focus on how far you’ve got to go, focus on how far you’ve come. In writing as in life, I find this a useful Mantra, none more so than in recovery.

Asleep for a month of a two month hospital stretch equals muscle wastage and the uphill struggle of learning to walk again. It’s amazing what physio and perseverance can achieve in a relatively short space of time. After five weeks at home the walking frame and wheelchair are ditched, and the stick is on its way out. Of course it doesn’t always feel like a short period of time. At times when it drags I return to my Mantra and remind myself of progress.

I look forward to getting back to full speed with work. In the meantime I focus on balance: building stamina with physio and walking, fresh air, seeing friends and family, cooking nutritious food, and planting flowers to liven up the garden. I’m pleased to see, once again, the lavender is a big hit with the bees.

Then there’s stories. One story in particular captured my attention this week: a series on Netflix called When They See us. It tells the true story of the Central Park Five, now rightly known as the Exonerated Five. Heart-breaking and moving, it’s a must see. It should be astonishing to know the tragic injustice served on five African American boys, but sadly it’s not. Told from the viewpoint of the victims and their families, it’s the kind of story that makes you think, and I can’t stop thinking about it. This is a true story, but fiction can also deal with hard-hitting social issues. I was recently asked why I included some of the hard-hitting themes in Return of the Mantra. Because they happen to people, because some issues are ignored, brushed under the carpet, are inconvenient to deal with. Fiction or non-fiction, I love stories that make you think, that challenge, that teach you something new, that capture your imagination.