How Being Creative Helps Me Cope With My Multiple Sclerosis

I began a project of writing love letters to my children, thinking it would be a gorgeous thing for them. They enjoy and appreciate them very much. However, I have to admit I’ve also benefited by writing them, and honestly, I don’t know if I got the better end of the deal!

One good gesture produces ripples like a stone on a pond. You never know who or where the waves will end up and who or what they will touch, but those ripples have a way of traveling back to return gratitude and well-being.

My multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis was a gift of awakening, and it motioned me to give back. My generosity was amplified and unstoppable. Now, every day I wake up to find so many surprises and sparkling wavelets splashing at my toes. Every detail and gesture have medicinal qualities. I do not feel sick. I feel content and amazing.

It all started with that symptom, that X-ray, that news. I got worried and depressed, but in time I was able to see the potential. I could see an opportunity and a chance to get better and be better. I had received the gift of revival. The battle to survive brought out astonishing attributes in me. I just had to channel them in the right direction.

So I began a project and decided to write love letters to my children. Then I thought, “Maybe I will paint for them, too!” And I did. I put them together in a sort of scrapbook with images and poems that they could eventually remember me by.

After gearing up my creativity, I reached out to my sister, Jadyn, who is a graphic designer. I guess I tagged her, and she put her creativity in motion. Working together brought us closer than ever before, which is gift #2.

My husband supported me and my project throughout this whole ordeal. His belief in me is valuable gift#3.

I searched for writing professionals to review my work and got acquainted with great people who now are my friends and a big part of my life. I ended up working with a publishing house with a fantastic staff and later teamed up with a publicist who is a gem. His colleagues guided me towards interviews with various blogs, magazines and TV programs. I even had the opportunity to explore a new city because of a couple of interviews I had lined up. And around each new corner, there are always more amazing human beings to meet. I keep encountering people who want to know more about me and my story. Remarkable!

It’s hard to believe this all started with a diagnosis and the intention of giving a gift to my children. The more thought you put into a project and the more creativity you apply, the more you get something out of it. Regardless of what it is: a book, a letter, a phrase, a poem, a painting, a scarf, a blanket, a cake or cookies. If your hands create something for someone, those ripples will start to travel back and soon you will be receiving 10 times that present in return.

It’s like investing in a cure through altruistic, happy therapy and getting plenty of shots of pride and satisfaction. Get out there, get inspired, get creative and give. You and this planet will have acquired a most beautiful aura because of your healed soul.