The Silver Lining

People always talk about the brighter side of things, of looking at that silver lining, and most of the time it's just a bunch of nonsense coming out of people who don't know better. I do. I've been through the darkest clouds and the raging storms. And I've survived it! I came out to tell you that there IS a silver lining somewhere.

I won't preach and tell you to look around you and to search for it, because again, that's just a bunch of C***. You know those silver linings? You don't find them, they find you, and in the most unexpected ways too! You'll look at me and ask, what are your silver linings? You've got CD! Bring me the cheerful aspect of that little condition (and you'd probably say it sarcastically). My blog, this blog, is a silver lining. At least I see it that way! I love to talk, I love to learn new things, and I love sharing what I learn with the people around me. Admittedly, I never thought I'd be educating people about a health condition, but that's a start.

I've also began taking better care of my health, and not in that "I-want-to-look-like-the-model-in-the-magazine-way". I genuinely care about what I eat, when I eat and how well my body deals with what I eat. And it's not just about the gluten, it's about everything that I do eat. I don't think I would have ever done this SERIOUSLY if I hadn't gotten ill. In the past I dabbled a bit with healthy eating and what-not, but never stuck to it seriously because I never really had anything to worry about. People all around me were eating anything and everything, processed refined stale food and they were doing well. I was 20, what did I have to worry about?

It takes a lot to get to the silver lining, allow me to regale you with one of my tales in search of gluten-free food. I find that story funny now; wasn't so funny to me back then.

It was the very first time I went food-shopping, gluten-free food shopping. I was back home in Abu-Dhabi and was lucky enough to have a friend, Fadi, to help me out. I really wasn't sure where to start! We hopped on to Abella, a hypermarket that carries a lot of western products which we assumed be a safe start. We get out of the car, and walk into the place. Fadi goes up to the clerk and asks, " Is there a gluten-free food section here?". The clerk looks confused and replies, " Sir, you mean glue?". Most people would find that hilarious and would probably burst out laughing. Most people do when I tell them the story now. GLUE? In food???

Anyhow, we undersood that we were going to have a long shopping spree and that things were not as simple as we first thought. There was no special food section. We just had to hunt, literally, in the aisles. The gluten-free foodswere hidden in between all the regular ones. Now I understood what my nutritionist meant when she said "LABELS! Always read them". It took us around an hour to buy a bunch of stuff, and I'm not talking major food items, just crackers and the like. Our next stop was Spinney's, another hypermarket similar to Abella. And the same scenario was repeated. It was really morale deflating, and again, I only came with a couple of things, most of them being snacks and some rice-noodles. My food bill that day tipped 500 dhs. That's a lot of money for nothing much. It's also depressing to know that food shopping wasn't going to be easy anymore.

But in all honesty having Fadi by my side took off a lot of the pressure. I will admit, I was embarrassed, I felt like a freak. And I didn't want to be seen as that sick girl, and he went around asking for me. He kept telling me it would be ok, that I would find things I could eat, that I will eventually fall into a pattern and be comfortable with my condition. Just hearing those words was a relief, because no matter how much you think them just hearing somebody else saying them validates them to you. At least that's what happened to me

That is my other silver lining. Finding out what my friends were like. Discovering all that compassion and understanding and patience in the people that surround you. I don't know about you, but I generally took my friends for granted. I didn't really get to know them, I just knew their basic qualities but never went in depth. And now I do, now I know WHO they are. It's true that sometimes you discover things that aren't that great in people, and sometimes that means that you two can;t be friends anymore and that has happened with me. But for every 1 ex-friend I have I've got 3 who have steadfastly remained at my side, who I know will support me no matter what.


So thank you Fadi, and thank you Friends, you are the biggest silver lining anybody could wish for!

And the though of the day is: Don't hunt down your silver linings. They'll be looking for you, and they WILL find you! Just be patient and live through the turbulence that life throws your way. Mourn, feel sad, but don't let tha destroy you. Once you and the silver lining meet, you'll be all the much stronger!