Tether to Self - Survival Tip for Mental Health

Tether Use and Awareness – Survival Tip for Mental Health

There was a time when farmers in the Midwest would attach a tether from their homes to their barns. There were many stories about farmers who after caring for their livestock, could not find the way to their own homes due to blizzards. Farmers have been known to wander off lost in their own backyards, confused by whiteouts and howling winds. The tether provided a sure connection to kitchen, to home and to warmth.

Blizzards can be defined in other terms. Although we are welcoming spring, a different kind of blizzard permeates my daily life. Stories of economic injustice, global warming, senator selection hearings, layoffs, slashed school budgets, and horrific stories of war, famine and personal agony fill the news. My blizzard includes dozens of flyers encouraging me to purchase stuff that is REALLY on sale. I have friends who are struggling with chemotherapy treatments, discourteous adult children and poorly functioning appliances. As I drive the expressway, drivers who appear to have lost their way in their own blizzards frighten me. They drive without an awareness of speed limits, other vehicles or rules of the road. They are clearly confused in some whiteout. Bank presidents, corporate executives, politicians, athletes and even some people in my neighborhood appear confused, lost and in need of a tether.

Leonard Cohen said it best. “The blizzard of the world has crossed the threshold and it has overturned the order of the soul.”

I realized last Sunday that my tether to the inner me is found by running. Neighbors have often asked how I was doing. I recall answering, “ I will be better in a few more miles.” There is truth to that. Running helps me remind me who I am. I also remember who I want to be. Recently daily tether runs are required. As I lope quietly listening to my shoes hit the path, listening to my breath, I know I am hanging on to the tether that connects me to my soul. It is a quiet, safe place just like the farmers kitchen hearth.

Animals Know- Children Know Too

Hoteliers built Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia on an elephant herd’s annual migration path. The path leads to an appetizing mango grove. Although the hotel is elegant with brick columns, high ceilings and exotic blooms, ten elephants regularly walk through the main lobby sometimes four times a day for a mango munch. The elephants know where food is available and contractor blue prints ignored these travelers and their trunks.

People who dislike cats are the destination for cats when entering a crowded room. Cats know. I rode a horse on a trail ride when I was eight. I had begged for the opportunity since I had read every book about horses in our local library. Three minutes into the ride, I was terrified. I only liked horses described in paragraphs. The horse broke free from the orderly horse line, and bounded across an empty field. Petrified I hung on. The horse knew...

I recall the day I returned home late, weary, and grumpy. Sam, our golden retriever, and I had a regular routine. Usually, I came home at an ok time, strapped on my running shoes and Sam and I would take off. We would lope through the neighborhoods. On the evening I returned home so late, Sam had pushed open the hall closet, and removed a running shoe and placed it in the middle of the dining room floor. He had taken my second running shoe and placed it downstairs in the middle of the family room. He had selected my running shoes from tennis shoes, boots, and other running shoes that belong to other family members. The dog knew.

Why is it if animals are so smart we believe that children don’t get it? We need to believe that they can think, be competent, and learn to problem solve. We need to start trusting them early. When it comes to brains and ability I never met a kid that wasn’t smarter than any dog. I have never met a child who wasn’t more in need of attention than any cat. Children are capable. Why do we continue to discount them? Children thrive when they are trusted, encouraged to make decisions, and reassured with a consistent structure of rules and limits. Too often adults focus on filling toy chests, buying more videos or outsourcing their role as parent. Taking time to refuel the spirit provides energy and hope for the adventure of growing up. Present parents are daily presents in a child’s life. Children know.