French voyageurs in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) between the United States and Canada canoed along their watery highways to the trading posts.
Usually, two in a boat, those nomads empowered their birch-bark canoes with their own strong strokes across small and large lakes, in sunshine and storms.
With chronic illness, you might feel like a voyageur, traveling wilderness waters, not always sure of the way.
Trying one remedy or medication after another.
But you forged on, trying new trails when old ones failed, always knowing you would continue.
One difference can divide your experience with chronic illness from the voyageurs living in the wilderness.
They saw their way of life as an adventure.
As a way to find solitude and freedom.
Though the wilderness included discomforts and dangers (and lots of bugs!), they continued with a brave, positive attitude.
Those earlier travelers could see beyond their fears and dangers and inconveniences of a wilderness life.
They could see through to the good their way of life included.
While we would never wish chronic health problems on anyone for any reason, its effects on us can be as positive as pressure upon pure carbon.
It can turn our lives into sparkling diamonds.
If we will allow it, the wilderness can hold unexpected gains-the gifts of solitude and freedom and all that goes with them.
SOLITUDE Solitude is a natural part of the wilderness.
It comes with certainty and with greater meaning than aloneness.
From solitude can arise a gift psychologists call creative silence-when ideas awaken within your minds, thoughts that normally are hidden when you're with others.
You find feelings, dreams, and ideas beyond what you believed were inside yourselves.
For some, especially men, thinking on memories and feelings is not what they're accustomed to doing.
It's frightening.
Like th voyageurs, you have to face that fear, forge ahead in your new life, and truly believe that what is inside of you is worth recalling and thinking about.
It's inner work and worth every moment spent on it.
You need not limit your thoughts to yourself.
Many others in your life are worthy to remember, to forgive, to pray for, to consider how to help, and to love.
Being alone, especially when you're recovering from symptoms, can force you to think on your chronic illness.
That's all right if you organize or understand some aspect of your health problem.
However, too much thought on yourself and your challenges can bring on more anxiety.
Just what you don't want! You need a balanced thought life.
FREEDOM With discipline and relaxation, aloneness can bring freedom, calmness, and dignity, all needed to heal our bodies and spirits.
Alone, you can feel peace.
It's as though you need do nothing else, just be, and an invisible force saturates and renews your being.
Silence.
It is the heartbeat of the Earth.
Solitude.
It seeps into your soul like a healing balm.
Timelessness.
It is an everlasting life, no beginning or end.
Alone you can hear the clear, still voice within, loud and firm.
When your body fails to function properly and needs medication or surgery, you feel out of control.
During solitude you regain the freedom and independence you as an injured person have lost and need.
During quiet times you can return to your own sense of perspective.
Then you do not need to see things from others' viewpoints.
You are the important one.
You can renew yourself, strengthen your body and spirit to handle yet another day, another hour.
May your life sparkle along your wilderness journey.