Many of us are struggling with inner demons that no one knows about. You may be uncomfortable at social events. You could be struggling with a slight case of depression, or an addiction to alcohol., prescription drugs, or nicotine. Your weight might be affecting your health , but you can’t stop over eating. You limp along with these afflictions, until one day, you face reality and decide to do something about it. You might seek counseling, or maybe just some self help books. You enroll in a support group like Weight Watchers. And at last, there comes a time when you realize that your efforts at changing your life have paid off. These are the secret triumphs of the heart.
The trouble might not be one of spirit , but of body. A sudden onset of sciatica makes walking painful.. You feel off balance at times, but you won’t submit to the indignity of using a cane. Suddenly, you can’t hear what your grandchildren are saying. Driving at night is scary because you see halos around the street lights..
For a while—months, maybe years–you deny these failings of your aging body. But suddenly, you’re tired of it all, and you realize you don’t want to do this anymore.
You make an appointment with a physical therapist, and faithfully do the prescribed exercises at home, even after your Medicare coverage runs out. You bite the bullet and buy some hearing aids. You see an eye doctor and agree to whatever surgery or treatment he recommends. You share your fears and insecurities with a counselor.