grief Archives - McClish.me

On… Facing Your Fears

My mother had a heart condition. She developed kidney failure and congestive heart failure. She was in and out of the hospital. She had to be on dialysis. After she passed away when I was 22, I vowed to exercise and keep myself healthy, as I didn’t want to have a heart condition and go through all that she went through.

I recently went to a new cardiologist. She did an EKG, listened to my heart, which had a strong murmur, and had me describe my symptoms. She said that she believes that my mitral valve needs repaired or replaced.” I would need heart surgery. The very thing I feared, having a heart condition, seemed to be where I was at.

June 6, 2026 • Chris McClish • chickasaw spirituality, choctaw spirituality, facing fears, grief, heart disease, mitral valve disease, native american spirituality, turn it over

On… Facing Your Fears Read Post »

On… Rigid thinking

Think of an ability that you have (a talent, skill, hobby) and imagine what life would be like if it were no longer in your life – gone. What would you do instead? How would you find meaning, purpose, and enjoyment? How would you redefine yourself? Sometimes it can be challenging and yet interesting to consider this question, “Who would I be if the things around me that I cherish were gone?”