" Year in the life meme.
by ajnspencer @ 02/02/08 - 13:19:46
Respond to this, ask for a year to write about, and write a post about what you were doing in that year. "
aj was given 1995 by landers , and I was given 1991 by aj
Funny that aj should pick just that year because 1991 was a very memorable and significant year . It was the year of initiations into the serious world of adults. It's when I seriously started to study in " The School of Life "
It was the year of the Gulf War and I started to tune in and pick up on suffering in the World Soul. Before that time I'd not really allowed world events to affect me.
1991 marked the start of my physical and psycho -spiritual transformation , It was an initiation by fire . At least that is how it felt.
It started with back problems in the spring, which I'd never had before and in July developed eczema on my face and chest which later spread to arms , and the insides of my thighs- huge weeping sores and scaly skin that itched and hurt like nobody's business.
Midsummer that year was gorgeous. Some friends and I got together and organised a white tie do at a castle. We had the works and were attended by a staff and caterers who prepared a three course meal. Afterwards there was dancing and a tour of the castle. The magical celebrations continued throughout the night. One friend in particular looked dashing in his tux that he'd bought specially for the occasion. It was to be Ove's last party.
When I returned from England in the middle of July , my face a mass of weeping sores , I was told that Ove was sick .- he had pneumonia and was in hospital. I found him very frail hooked up to tubes and machines. Ove had AIDS , but was not telling anyone. It was his secret. I don't think he ever came out if hospital. The last time I saw Ove was Friday , 13 October 1991 .He died the following Tuesday, aged 39.
I remember that day well. I was having a reflexology treatment. After the treatment I was left to relax for 10 minutes before getting up and had a distinct feeling that someone was sitting on the edge of the couch, I learned later that Ove died that day in the afternoon around the time of my treatment,
I experienced all kinds of treatments that year ; Zone therapy, acupuncture , deep tissue massage , homeopathy, colour therapy, dream therapy,healing and had the dentist remove all the amalgam mercury fillings. All in an effort to stop the itching and the soreness. In fact , each treatment helped but did not fix. Im retrospect I see this as hands on education in a range of alternative treatments and the symptoms were probably the beginning of burnout.
Today I started looking for my diary for 1991 and realised to my disappointment that there wasn't one 
only a small diary that I used for appointments. I have very few regrets , but I do wish I'd started keeping a journal in 1991. As a result 1991- 1998 are very vague. but 1991 was an unforgettable year; it felt like the loss of innocence in many ways. It was the first time I'd been to a friend's funeral.
How's that for a year , aj ? 
Good choice !
