What Migrating Birds Can Teach The Chronically Ill Community

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There is truly something migrating birds can teach the chronically ill community.

Have you ever seen a flock of birds flying in a V formation? Scientists have determined this formation has a two-fold purpose.

Purpose 1 – The bird at the front is breaking the air current which allows the birds behind him to fly with a bit more ease.

When the one at the front gets tired, he moves to the back and another takes the lead. That’s how our community needs to operate. Some days I’ll feel strong enough to break the air currents for you and other times I’ll slide back and need you to forge ahead.

I love being able to encourage you with my blog posts and different memes you might see me post on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or Instagram. I find it an honor to be able to help bring a bright spot to your day. But sometimes I need to be encouraged as well. When you write me back on any of these places it brightens my day and makes me feel connected. Like we’re part of the same flock.

I received a very touching email a while back. The writer expressed how she had lost her mother recently. Her mom had been her biggest source of support through her illness.  She mentioned how, since then, she has found support in an online community.

This connection lets us know we are part of a larger flock. We may not have others we physically see that can relate to our trials – but at least we have our online friends we can turn to for support.

Purpose 2 – Their V formation allows them to communicate with each other in a way that aids the migration efforts.

I don’t know about you, but this journey into a life with chronic illness has made me very dependent on the knowledge of others and the need for community.

We need to become our own patient advocate and learn as much as we can about our individual illness and how to navigate life. In order to do that, we have to be proactive. We need to find resources that will stand by our side and help us navigate our journey with chronic illness.

We need to search for resources that help us in our daily lives. (For example, help us get through the holidays with grace. 😉 )

There are so many of us suffering from invisible or chronic illnesses – we should never have to fly solo.

What are some other resources you have found to help you through your journey with chronic illness?

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Here's a few more posts you might like:

Why It’s Hard For A Chronically Ill Person To Answer The Question, “How Are You?” Where To Turn For Help When You’re Chronically Ill How To Set & Achieve Goals When You’re Chronically Ill There Is Power In The Spoonie Community