Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Finding My Tribe

Tuesday, August 27, 2013


It's a very sultry night.  Earlier this evening I went to the building that houses the Twin Cities Men's Center.  I had learned about a gay men's support group offered by TCMC through a contact I have at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.  I was hoping I might find a group that could be of help to me in my ongoing therapeutic work.  I sat out in the hallway and read a bi-monthly bulletin published by TCMC. As time passed I would look up every so often when men would approach the entrance and walk inside.  I wasn't sure the group would be a fit for me.  As more time passed I noticed most of the men were much older than me.  I felt less and less inclined to attend.  Eventually I left.  I might try attending a different group that is offered on Friday evenings.

Finding support that will prove a match to your own individual needs can be quite a challenge.  One "win" I did take away from the evening was a listing of upcoming events contained in the bulletin that might offer me some better leads.  The 29th Annual Minnesota Men's Conference is coming up in September.  The title of the conference this year is Dark Talks with Screeching Pines: Why Men Listen to Nature's Voices.  This title immediately grabbed my attention.  This is not surprising given my love of nature and my studies in international environmental policy.  Depending on the particular offerings within the conference I might try to get away and attend part of it.  It would be so nice to get out of Minneapolis for a time before autumn begins in earnest (though it still seems so far away considering it was 95F and humid today).

I went to physical therapy today and was pleased to be called a "model patient" by my physical therapist.  My progress has been so good that I should be essentially done with physical therapy visits in another two weeks.  I am now beginning to prepare to transition to the Resilience Training program offered through the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing.  I was lucky enough to get my initial intake appointment with the holistic psychiatrist who works within the training on Thursday of this week.  The momentum is building.

My well of creative thought and inspiration still seems to be running a bit dry lately.  I sit down to write in my blog and I struggle a bit for an engaging topic.  From what I know it is not uncommon for writers to have dry periods throughout their creative careers.  Perhaps a majority of my creative power needs to remain within me as I steadily restore my health.  I continue to feel better and better each day.

September doesn't look to be much less demanding in terms of my recovery work.  One major difference is that I have begun to establish a rhythm of exercise and other activities.  Having such a structure in place is vital to my own healing.  I wake up in the mornings now and feel I have several places to go that nurture my body and mind.

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I invite you to accompany me as I document my own journey of healing. My blog is designed to offer inspiration and solace to others. If you find it of value I welcome you to share it with others. Aloha!