Beyond Living Life Underneath: Reflections and Considerations

By Dianne G. Poppert

It is no secret that we all must learn to live with illnesses, events, or other difficulties at some point during our existence. But how do we move beyond living life underneath these challenges or obstacles? In a collection of personal essays, retired registered nurse Dianne Poppert shares human stories of those who have been able to find the worthwhile while living life underneath a diagnosis, troubles, or other woes, and ultimately realize balance on a rocking ship amid the storm. Divided into two sections, the first contains stories of hope as contributors share how they faced difficulties that required change in their plans and lives, even when those events were tough to understand. The second section contains reflections and wisdom from Poppert’s perspective as a professional caregiver who witnessed the small gifts that life sometimes offers, even when we are living underneath seemingly monumental challenges. Beyond Living Life Underneath shares snapshots of life recalled from human experiences and stories that detail how some have found the worthwhile during life’s greatest trials.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jul 31, 2022
• ISBN: 9781794706996

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Copyright © 2021 Dianne G. Poppert.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored,

or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical,

or electronic—without written permission of the author, except in the

case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized

reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

ISBN: 978-1-7947-1081-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7947-0699-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021920514

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

It is not the intention of the author or book to provide medical advice. If you

have questions about medical issues, please speak with a medical provider.

Names and situations have been changed.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date:   12/10/2021

Other books by Dianne Poppert

Shadows of a Pretty River

Poetry by Dianne Poppert

Lightning Strikes

Ancient Mother

Running Free

The Gentle Dance

Poetry by Gloria Wolfsen

Battle of Midway

Cover Art by Dianne Poppert

For those fighting Parkinson’s disease.

For those living life underneath who would like to move beyond.

INTRODUCTION

There are two portions to this book. Part one is about reflections on moving beyond living life underneath. Part two includes some ideas that may help a person moving beyond living life underneath from one registered nurse’s perspective.

Introduction to Reflections of Beyond Living Life Underneath

Living life underneath, from my perspective, means that we’ve had some event, illness, loss, or change in our life that requires change in what we had planned or thought our future would hold. Our previous dreams may have needed to change.

This portion of the book contains heartfelt stories about continuing to find ways to make it, enjoy life, and find satisfaction even if troubling things happen. As a registered nurse, I’ve had many opportunities to learn as the years have gone by. Truthfully, it seems that sometimes life’s events teach us things we didn’t really hope to learn about.

This learning could be brought on by anything. It could be an illness, a death, retirement, or any event that has had the effect of upending the world as we know it. It could be reflecting back on our lives and what we did in our youth as we age, seeing now how we could have done that little thing better. It could be changes in the world around us that are not what we hoped for or expected.

We are all different human beings. We come from different cultures and nationalities and are born with different personality types. What may be challenging for one person, may be easily dealt with by another. Some of us are more sensitive; others, not so much. This is one reason to be gentle. We are, most of us, fighting something, and often we don’t know what that fight is for others around us.

The result of this unexpected (or expected) event may be that now you must live life with new rules—rules that were not your first choice. You may have new things to think about. Life may be quite different, and the path you thought you had in front of you may have changed. Sometimes when living with these underneath things, we find we have momentarily forgotten how to thrive and flourish. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that can throw us.

Beyond Reflections from Underneath are snapshots of life recalled from experiences and stories over decades. These are human stories about how some folks have been able to find the worthwhile while living life underneath diagnoses, illnesses, troubles, and woes. To hear how they found balance or sea legs on a rocking ship amid the storm is a wonderful gift to have received over the years.

How each of us is able to cope, how we make it, and how we continue when things are in want or require struggle and changes are, perhaps, large questions. And while there are no answers, there are things that can help. People who have gone through things and have learned how to make it are or can be mentors. There are many in our world if we listen carefully.

A simple story is one of the ways we as humans share our life experiences, and we do this all the time—with our loved ones, families, and friends. Stories may be one way to learn ideas and find support. Even if details of the reflections have been lost to time, the gist of the story will hopefully remain. Even if the story does not mirror your exact experience, sometimes a spark of an idea may come that helps a person make it through the next step in the day.

And so, stories. The things in this book are not new, and many of us know them already.

Introduction to Considerations in Beyond Living Life Underneath

This portion of the book offers things to consider when you’re living life underneath an illness or event and may help to make it easier to navigate some situations a person may come across. It will, hopefully, give you a few tools to help you make it beyond survival mode to thriving mode. These little things may have been found to make a difference in the lives of people who are trying to make it underneath. This list is not all inclusive, and there are many other ways, but these may spark an idea that could possibly help.

Each person facing an illness, event, or change in their lives is different. What works for me may not work for you.

It has been said that we will not be given more than we can handle. Sometimes it seems like we have been—maybe much more than we feel like we can handle. And we may want to give up. But we can do this, no matter what the outcome is, one step at a time.

There is beauty underneath also. Living with an illness may mean that some days when we wake up to find we are still here, we’re surprised. Some days we must look for the wonder and joy in life. It might be sort of like a treasure hunt to locate the positives. And find it we will, if we don’t give up.

Never give up. Look for the beauty. Look for the joy. Look for happy times amid the raindrops falling. Raindrops water our earth, and they are needed too. Sometimes the worst of perceived experiences can bring the greatest gifts down the line.

Smile more. Smiles are free, and this small act from a person in the grocery or post office or on the street has brightened my day more than once. Smiles can make a difference to others, and they are contagious.

There are those who know how to live underneath because they have been forced to learn things. These examples can possibly be of assistance to us as well. Stories.

Mermaids know how.

People riding magic carpets know how.

Wildish men and wildish women know how.

Each day is a new day with a new beginning and blessing.

Life is not a rehearsal.

Life can still be wonderful if we are asked to live our life underneath. And we can learn to go beyond to find a little happiness in spite of things—to go Beyond Living Life Underneath.

Sometimes we just need to figure out how.

These are not new things, and deep down in our hearts, we each know what to do. It sometimes requires silence, stillness, and stepping away from the assaults of life to find that knowing or what is needed—to make things easier for ourselves, to get the helps we need to make it.

We may already know how to do this.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In grateful thanks for those many who have allowed me to walk with them for a while.

A special thanks to my children, grandchildren, and family for their patience with me while this book was being written.

A special thanks a bunch to granddaughters who help by revising photos.

A special thanks a bunch to daughters who take their moms on fun adventures like painting parties.

In memory and honor of many, who are not forgotten.

In gratitude and thanks for