"Friends are people who help you be more yourself, more the person you are intended to be."
- Merle Shain
Thanks Karen. You are one of those people.
What does it mean to be a friend to someone? Is your partner your best friend? How many true friends can you count? We all change as we find our own place in the world, our purpose. There is something emotional about knowing when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other. Because that's what friends do! You have to know that no matter where this crazy world takes us, we will still be friends. Sometimes you get together with a friend you haven't seen in years and start up right where you left off. That is a true friend.
It is when you get together and have nothing to talk about except the old days that the friendship has moved on without each other in your respective lives. That is why I have a select group of friends. Some are new friends, but I know deeply that it will be forever. Why? Because we communicate our feelings, and when you develop friends at this stage of life--you know it is not because you need more friends. Friends come and go with each period of our lives. I blogged about friends during grade school, high school, college, and post graduate school. There are friends from your old neighborhood. There are many acquaintances in my life. Some I thought were friends, but it didn't turn out that way. Some want to be your friend because you have something to give--that they may want. This is the 'taker' friend.
I used to have an expectation in time to be friends with ex- love partners. Sometimes it is possible and other times it is not. I see more ex - partners becoming friends within the gay community unlike the straight community. Personally, I think this can only happen when you let go of all resentments and anger. This is the 5th lifestyle change according to my life pyramid. I have been ready for some time with 'old' flames and even have tried, but it just didn't work out. So I moved on.
There is always your best, best friend. Can you think of one? I know I have a best friend in my life partner and always will. He is the most important friend. Then there is your best friend whom you do not live and share life with. I am fortunate to have one of those friends too. We have been through the good and bad times. We are from different backgrounds, but share a common bond. The bond of knowing how we each feel as we have been in recovery together. I have been blessed and I am grateful for my friends.
Back to the foxglove (Digitalis)... I found it odd that I couldn't find foxglove in Duke's Handbook of Medicinal Plants of the Bible. I was sure it would be there- but it wasn't . When you read about herbal remedies for Heart Problems and circulatory problems, digoxin or foxglove is not discussed. Possibly because it is used in clinical allopathic or conventional medicine. What you read about is Hawthrone (Crataegus), Garlic (Allium) or Ginger (Zingiber).
What I find interesting is that I only knew there were purple or red foxglove plants. In my reading I have encountered a yellow-foxglove species. These are Digitalis ambigua and Digitalis lutea. You see at any age you can learn new things. I also found out about other plants that contain a similar cardiac glycoside. I will reserve this for another discussion. The other glycosides are called strophanthin. Then there are other plants that are not digitalis nor strophanthin glycosides but have some similar properties. These are called digitaloids. This is where my favorite plant, Convallaria will be placed. The common name is Lily of the Valley. The red fruit of this plant is highly poisonous. I have seen a lot of Lilly of the Valley's in Fire Island as it likes the damp woods.
Although foxglove exerts its effects on the heart by increasing the contractility in a positive way, it also can be used for cardiac rhythm abnormalities, aka cardiac arrhythmias. It is most commonly used to slow the heart rate for those individuals with an irregular rhythm called atrial fibrillation. These herbs will have to be discussed another time as these include motherwort, scotch broom and even yellow jasmine.
Foxglove should be collected in the woods. There are professional herb gatherers still working in areas such as the Harz mountains. Where are the Harz mountains? The Harz mountains, 90 kilometers (56 miles) long, 30 kilometers wide, and some 400 million years old, straddle the border between what was once East and West Germany, in the central part of the country. In the Harz mountains is Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Brocken at 1,142 meters. The 1,142 meter (3,747 feet) peak called the Brockenberg, or Brocken Mountain, has an ancient reputation of being a haunting ground for witches, goblins and other creatures in the pagan pantheon. I must find a book on the hisory of this area because I am sure it will be interesting. I do know that any digitalis collected from this area is said to be valuable. I wonder why?
The clinical use of digitalis has a fine line. Both its use and toxic effects are very close. This means that the dose used for therapy is so close to the toxic dose that it must be managed with care. This is why blood levels are done for patients who take digoxin. The dose must also be adjusted if the patient has kidney disease as the drug is excreted through the kidney.
That's What Friends Are For
And I
Never thought I'd feel this way
And as far as I'm concerned I'm glad I got the chance to say
That I do believe I love you
And if I should ever go away
Well then close your eyes and try to feel the way we do today
And than if you can't remember.....
Keep smilin'
Keep shinin'
Knowin' you can always count on me
for sure
that's what friends are for
In good times
And bad times
I'll be on your side forever more
That's what friends are for
Well you came and open me
And now there's so much more I see
And so by the way I thank you....
Ohhh and then
For the times when we're apart
Well just close your eyes and know
These words are comming from my heart
Until tomorrow...
And then if you can't remember....Ohhhhh
And there are friend photographs...
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