{"id":2084,"date":"2016-07-18T21:41:31","date_gmt":"2016-07-18T21:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/?p=2084"},"modified":"2016-07-16T21:42:28","modified_gmt":"2016-07-16T21:42:28","slug":"anger-illness-thermidor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/2016\/07\/anger-illness-thermidor.html","title":{"rendered":"Anger, Illness, and Thermidor"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Image
Image Courtesy of dan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

History teaches us many things, but I especially like how it sheds light on how we live and what we feel today. For instance, if you look back\u00a0at some of the times of great societal upheaval – the American War of Independence, the French Revolution\u00a0to name two – many began or reached a boiling point (no pun intended)\u00a0during\u00a0the very hot days of summer. \u00a0In fact, the term “Thermidor” was the name given to the month of July, when French revolutionaries overthrew the monarchy in France and re-engineered just about every aspect of society (including the annual calendar). This term was applied later to the overthrow of the revolutionary government, including Robespierre, in an event called the Thermidorian Reaction, in July 1794. Another very hot month, another political inferno.<\/p>\n

This blog is not about history (although I appreciate your allowing me to indulge in writing about it sometimes). But we can apply the concept of “Thermidor” in a very contemporary way and perhaps learn from it.<\/p>\n

If revolutions can spark during the hottest months of the year, what about anger in our hearts toward our lives with illness? What about frustration toward God for giving us such burdens? What about moments when we lash out at those we love because they “just don’t understand?” What about self-pity parties because we feel oh, so sorry for ourselves when it seems everyone else is getting a vacation and there is no vacation from illness for us? Ever. Can the heat of the summer instill heat of another kind in our hearts – a heat that is destructive and can cause lasting harm to us, our relationships, and our faith?<\/p>\n

No flippant question, here. I notice that, if I go outside in the heat of the day, I am not at my best emotionally or physically. Hot weather zaps my energy and erodes\u00a0resilience to keep my temper tempered, my thoughts away from how uncomfortable I feel (and oh, how it isn’t what I want at all). Yes, I can get angry when the mercury climbs, my own Thermidorian Reaction!<\/p>\n

In my previous blog post,<\/a> I wrote about illness triggers and ways to understand them. I mentioned heat as something that can be a trigger for me. All the more reason why I avoid it! And all the more reason to keep learning from history – we never know when we’ll gain wisdom and acquire awareness!<\/p>\n

Be cool,<\/p>\n

Maureen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

History teaches us many things, but I especially like how it sheds light on how we live and what we feel today. For instance, if you look back\u00a0at some of the times of great societal upheaval – the American War of Independence, the French Revolution\u00a0to name two – many began or reached a boiling point…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":548,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[277,450,511,1881,19,2180],"class_list":["post-2084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-anger","tag-angry","tag-flares","tag-heat","tag-illness","tag-triggers"],"yoast_head":"\nAnger, Illness, and Thermidor - Good Days...Bad Days With Maureen Pratt<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gooddaysbaddays\/2016\/07\/anger-illness-thermidor.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Anger, Illness, and Thermidor - Good Days...Bad Days With Maureen Pratt\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"History teaches us many things, but I especially like how it sheds light on how we live and what we feel today. 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She expected to be writing scripts. God had other plans. A few years after her graduation, Maureen was diagnosed with a life-threatening case of organ-involved lupus. Her life turned upside down as she grappled with the effects of the illness and other health conditions that ensued. She was no stranger to serious health challenges; even as a child, Maureen had survived numerous bouts of pneumonia, flu, and other infections. But lupus made her take a fresh look at her life goals - and took herlifelong, strong Catholic Christian faith and writing in a direction she'd never imagined. Today, Maureen writes and speaks about walking with the Lord while living with chronic pain and illness. Her most recent book is \"Don't Panic!: How to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough (Franciscan Media). She is also the author of, \"Peace in the Storm: Meditations on Chronic Pain & Illness\" (Image Books\/Randomhouse), \"Beyond Pain: Job, Jesus, and Joy\" (Twenty-Third Publications), \"The First Year: Hypothyroidism, Second Edition\" (Perseus) and \"Taking Charge of Lupus: How to Manage the Disease and Make the Most of Your LIfe.\" She writes the syndicated column, \"Living Well,\" for Catholic News Service, and has also written for Saint Anthony Messenger Magazine, Journey for Women Magazine, The Upper Room Magazine, LupusNow, and Arthritis Today. Maureen's health continues to be a challenge, however she feels honored to be able to bring her perspective, from experience and knowledge, to others. \"Good Days...Bad Days with Maureen Pratt\" is a new way for Maureen to reach people who carry the burden of illness and pain in their lives, or who care for someone who does. 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