The Battle of Brittle

I despise the word brittle. It makes me think of ancient skulls cracking. Brittle describes distressing conditions:

• Brittle Bone Disease

• Brittle Diabetic

• Peanut Brittle

Saying the words “peanut brittle” freaks me out, mainly because it symbolizes all the hard foods that I can no longer mindlessly crunch. The last time I chomped on corn nuts, I ended up with a crown, then a root canal and another crown, and eventually no tooth.

Now when I bite into something thick and solid, I needs must guess which will crush first:

my brittle teeth or the crunchy food?

I battle brittleness not only in my teeth, but also in my bones, ligaments, and most concerningly – my spirit.

We’ve all met brittle old people. Truculent. Curmudgeonly. Belligerent. Agitated. Spiteful.

I feel brittleness creeping up on me ever so stealthily. I’ll remember a bitter grudge I’ve forgotten to nurse and allow the poison of old anger to ooze into my mind. Or I’ll pick at the scar of an old trauma until it bleeds into my soul again.

Spiritual brittleness can stem from depression. Or from an infection that goes untreated. There are medications, and other tools, and people, to help me figure out what’s making me feel brittle.

Lately, I’ve taken up daily journaling. I’ve started tracking my moods and habits daily, watching for the signs of brittleness so I can pour some metaphorical lotion, like music or walks in nature, on it and soften that spot up.

What are your go-to routines or tricks when you feel brittle?