Cameo’s cauldron
… in which Cameo Miller stirs her thoughts and ideas to see what rises to the top.
We’re All in This Together By Cameo Miller
I
Illustration by Bethany Caskey
have struggled with this article. I always try to write something that I think will be needed or helpful at the time it is read. I am writing this in April for June printing. The world is in chaos as I write this, and I have no idea what it will be like in June. Will we be through the worst of this, still in the middle of it, will it be even worse? What message will people need to hear that fits with the current situation? Whatever stage we’re in, there are several things certain to be true. One is that prolonged stress produces some significant changes in us and needs a conscious and dedicated response to overcome them. The stress, worry, and hypervigilance cause physical changes to several systems. I won’t go into all the details here, but you may be feeling more tired, sluggish, disoriented than usual, or have trouble focusing and concentrating. You may have noticed increased GI symptoms, difficulty sleeping, headaches, etc. These can be resolved by taking good care of yourself for awhile— eat healthy foods in a timely manner, practice meditation or just quieting your 30
Summer 2020 | Riding Instructor
mind to help with sleep issues as well as we did what needed to be done. During metabolism modulation, and drink plenty of this time you may have found better ways water to flush toxins from your system. Do to do some things, that some things don’t more of the things which you have learned actually need doing at all, that there are bring you peace. Talk to others to see what things which could make your life and your works for them—I guarantee that you are business much better. This forced disruption not the only one feeling as you do. Even if gives us time to rethink and reorder our prithe crisis is over, there is sure to be leftover orities. And the fact that things will not go distress in all of us that doesn’t just go away back to normal gives us a perfect opportuniwith the ending of the event. It can take ty to implement changes to what was. What weeks or months after the trauma has sub- have you learned during this crisis that you sided for our bodily equilibrium to return should keep once this is all over? There is an old Native American teaching to normal. If you live in especially hard-hit areas there may be significant psychological that many of you may have heard. It’s about 2 wolves who live within you, a good wolf trauma and PTSD to deal with too. A second certainty is that we will need to and a bad wolf, vying for dominance. When help each other more than ever before in our the student asks which wolf will win the batlifetimes. Everyone’s life has been disrupted, tle, the teacher replies “The one you feed”. I some more significantly than others, but think right now there are many wolves witheveryone is going to need some degree of help in us. Some are severe anxiety, worry, and depression. Some cause to reestablish a satisfactohoarding and selfishness. ry, balanced life. Perhaps Some cause great acts of this will be a positive outkindness. Some become come of these times—that We have all been the leaders of packs while people see each other’s needs, are there to help forced to make drastic others cause people to become reclusive hereach other, are working together instead of changes over the past mits afraid to go out at all. What other wolves against each other. For reside in you? We have a most people, things will few months. whole pack of wolves in us not “just go back to norright now. But it is still the mal”. Major, world-wide, ones we nurture that will prolonged events such as this leave lasting effects. Effects that may not thrive and become even more a part of who even be known or recognized until well after we are after this is all over. No, things will not “just go back to northe end of the event. We are going to need to help and support each other for quite awhile. mal”, back to the way they always were. But Probably not in the way we needed to during that means that you have an opportunity the crisis, so we need to really talk to each to add in the new things, the revised things other to see what we can do to help them and that you have found are needed. You can work to restore the ones you found you realwhat they can do to help us. During normal times, we just do what ly want to keep that got pushed aside during we have always done—we just keep every- the chaos, and you can ask for help in doing thing running smoothly. We may make a that. You can maintain relationships you have bit of change here and there, but mostly forged or reestablished during this time. You things stay pretty much the same. We have will need to continue to take care of your all been forced to make drastic changes over physical and mental health for quite awhile the past few months. We have had time to as will your family, your students, and reassess what is really important. To really your staff. Perhaps this is a good time to look at the way things were and how they incorporate more fun and relaxing activities have been over this enforced change. Before, ➢ continued on page 25
“ ”
