Postcards From the Edge
Of Your Flare
And we’re coming into the homestretch of Fibromyalgia Awareness Month!
It’s also the cusp of summer. When everyone starts thinking about vacations. Relaxation. Getting away from the house.
Sweating. Swearing. Complaining about long lines.
Not to mention all the inconveniences those things produce in your body. So why not keep a few appropriate postcards (yes, they’re still a thing. Snail mail does exist, believe it or not) tucked away in your suitcase?
Just in case you want to let your friends and family know how that vacation is REALLY going! 😉
Okay, maybe you wish YOU were THERE.
(No one needs to know that)
Let everyone guess why you’re sending out cozy heating pad-core vibes.
Is it because you’re partying so hard, you need downtime to recover?
Or because you’re sending subliminal messages to hop the next flight with your absolute best friend—and the close second of fuzzy socks and comfy pajamas? (A sleep mask wouldn’t hurt, either…and would it kill them to spring for some earplugs?)
What’s a vacation without gourmet food? All those blue-light specials lined up across the table, begging for snapshots and features on your socials?
You don’t want to disappoint your pals back home, do you?
So what if your diet is in the—well, SPECIAL category.
You let them know you’re delighted with the absolute cardboard and sawdust you’re savoring on your tropical getaway. (Bananas count as tropical)
Half the fun of getting out of the house is taking photos of the local scenery. How will anyone know you were there if you don’t have photographic proof, after all?
This delightful postcard is just the thing for the Spoonie spending their vacation time partaking in the local medical delights. (You better believe we’re privileged enough to see this rare sight!)
Everyone will be so jealous of your luck.
And this is guaranteed to spark conversation back home!
Splurging on a trip—without anyone else—is half the fun.
But you don’t want those at home to feel left out or neglected. After all, they’re there for you (most of the time).
So pop this postcard into the closest mailbox to reassure them you are thinking of them.
No, not your friends and family.
Those medications you foolishly left on the counter in the packing process! Maybe by sending a happy little note, they’ll deign to work for you when you get back! (It’s worth a shot, at any rate)
Everyone loves feeling appreciated—especially when they know you’re away and (theoretically) enjoying yourself. It reassures them they have a place in your life.
And when you’ve done something foolish on your big trip (unavoidable), it’s nice to reach out and thank the little people in your life who keep you from falling apart.
Or at least do their best to prevent you from coming apart at the seams.
And cost much less than the giant hospital bill you’ll have waiting for you when you get back from vacation.
As always, you are welcome to borrow these images. I simply request that you link back to this post or credit me. You can use my art Insta, if you prefer: andimkennedy.