FROM STRESS – TO LESS

I’m sitting at my computer about to call Comcast — again. I feel pins sticking in my scalp and worms creeping around my stomach. I have spent the better part of a month almost daily – (I’ve added  the hours actually — between 30 and 35) on several different issues, most of which have more or less been attended to – finally.  My frustration level hit the ceiling weeks ago, and my sense of helplessness in being trapped by corporate bureaucracy, incompetence and robotic responses, has taken its toll on my psyche. And now — now — after concentrating totally on service and technology – I am about to engage again, this time,  on the subject of my astronomical bill (and still more other stuff) ) which far exceeds that which was quoted to me on contract.  My hand is on the phone – but the thought of another conversation, literally makes me dizzy and nauseous.

This brings me to the affirmation of my belief in the significance of the mind-body connection and the physically destructive power of stress.  And surely, I realize that in the larger scheme of life, this is a relatively ant-like stress – especially as I watch the physical and psychic tortures of  people all over the world who have insoluble problems.

Some people need yoga, mindful meditation, tai chi,  massages, a walk in the woods, deep psycho-therapy, drum retreats  and who knows how many legitimate and successful  treatments for stress reduction there are and how truly valuable it is to society that they all exist. (except for the scams)  I am always in awe about the many ways there are for folks to find the ability to cope.

For me, it’s very simple – and inexpensive.  In my most stressful moments, I find crazy relief in the gratitude I feel for not having to endure anything worse, something I’d often had disagreements about with a good friend. She always insisted to me that someone else’s worse troubles did nothing to diminish her own lesser ones. I guess people diverge on many different levels.

Though I very rarely go to FACEBOOK, I just indulged in my once in a while time there  – where I discovered one of the best reminders I have ever heard  about how to live well, other than the “Serenity Prayer.” This one goes  “Anything you can’t control is teaching you to let go.”

I’m not quite ready to let go of my COMCAST issues. But Labor Day  is over – Fall is settling in – back to routines – and soon the end of year holidays will challenge our stress quotient- So I will hang loose when COMCAST tells me, again!  this call may be recorded for quality assurance – and I will refrain from bringing up the previous 26 (recorded by me)  calls of the past few weeks. I have a new glitch in my programming,   sigh sigh  — in addition to the bill —   and I can’t believe I did this to myself. I switched voluntarily from  AT&T because I was not satisfied— and the gods have punished me — but I am thankful I do not live in Houston – and hopeful that Irma will find her way out into the ocean. And I’m practicing to live without TV. It’s not so bad at all.  I am not stressed. Ten, nine, eight, seven ……..

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