We have all heard the phrase “a silver lining in every cloud”. Ever wonder where that came from?
John Milton coined the phrase 'silver lining' in his poem Comus: A Mask Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634:
I see ye visibly, and now believe
That he, the Supreme Good, to whom all things ill
Are but as slavish officers of vengeance,
Would send a glistering guardian, if need were
To keep my life and honour unassailed.
Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud
Turn forth her silver lining on the night?
I did not err; there does a sable cloud
Turn forth her silver lining on the night,
And casts a gleam over this tufted grove.
Since Covid-19 has come into all of our lives, we have had to search again for those silver linings as many, if not all of us, are facing some cloudy days. The one theme of comfort I hear, again and again, is that we are all in this together. When things get difficult, it is always reassuring to know people can relate to your struggles.
I have been experiencing an unexpected silver lining in my life. I am one of the more than 1,000,000 people in this country that live with Multiple Sclerosis. When you have MS, you are forced to deal with uncertainty, periods of social distancing and lots and lots of hand washing. Most MS patients require therapies that suppress the immune system, so trying to avoid getting sick is a big deal. But the thing that really gets you is that thought of “am I going to be ok?”
The MS community is incredible. Quickly, you learn that you aren’t alone. Fellow patients, doctors, nurses, therapists and family members rally to support you in the journey. You learn valuable methods to deal with the challenges. In other words, we are all in this together.
My silver lining during the Covid-19 crisis is that for the first time in a while I am the one offering the comfort and advice. I get calls of concern because people have heard or read that individuals with MS are in a “higher risk” category. Quickly, I tell them not to worry and that I’ve been doing this for a while. We talk about the interactive workouts I follow on social media specific to MS, the joy I’ve found in walking through my neighborhood to get some exercise and the quality time I have learned to spend with my family. We talk about saying a prayer during hand washing to make sure you are washing long enough to kill the germs, the new diet I follow because I’m not as active as I once was, and some of the unexpected new hobbies I have discovered during this journey. Finally, I talk about my new heroes who wear scrubs instead of capes. We can never thank our healthcare workers enough.
Like Covid-19, I didn’t ask for MS. It just happened. At first, you can’t believe it. Then, you just don’t want to believe it. Eventually, you get to place of believing in yourself and those around you. I walk around with the belief that I am a better person with MS. My habits are healthier, my relationships are stronger and I don’t take a single day for granted. How did I get here? One silver lining at a time!
Hey, I’m no John Milton. My words will never be as eloquent. Just because I read a poem doesn’t take away all of the anxiety I have with Covid-19 or MS. These cloudy days may be around for a while. But, the skies will clear. Will you be so bold to think that you will come out of this better than you were before? I believe you will because we are all in this together.
Mike Hoffman is a Pittsburgh Experiment Board member. He is a Vice President with First Commonwealth Bank and has a BA from Villanova University and an MS from Duquesne University. Mike and his wife, Christy, have 4 children and live in Mt Lebanon. They are parishioners at St. John Capistran. Mike is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP©) and has been involved in several charitable endeavors. He is currently a Board Member of the Mt. Lebanon Community Foundation. Mike is part of the Thursday Steel Building lunch group and has brought numerous new attendees.