J.G. Chayko doing dancer pose from yoga in a park.

Go With The Flow: Yoga And RA

I had always moved and keeping my body flexible and strong, especially as a dancer, was always a top priority. RA didn’t change that priority, but it did bring some challenges on how to maintain my physical health without hurting my joints – not only that, but I wanted to find exercise that would do for me what dance had always done.

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A picture of the woods, with tall trees blocking out the sunlight.

Milestones

I’ve experienced success and disappointment, but I lived life my way, and I’ve done almost everything I wanted to do. It wasn’t easy, sacrifices were made, but I have lived, learned, lost my way, and found it again. Without those difficult memories, I wouldn’t be where I am today. RA didn’t hold me back from life – it reminded me why I must live it.

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The Twilight of The In-Between

Between the siege of autumn storms and the oncoming blast of winter are pockets of quietness where the world stops to take a breath.

I think we often forget the value and power of the quiet moments. In the midst of the holiday season, it can be difficult to give myself some quiet space to focus on what is in front of me and not what is ahead of me.

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A Spiritual Harvest: Honour Life with RA

The rain pelts against the window and the painted leaves dance with wild abandon in the autumn winds. The summer has long left us, that scorching dry heat forgotten in the dark misty mornings that greet us when we wake, and the early arrival of twilight. It is the time where the animals take shelter…

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Arthritis Awareness Month: The Mark of a New Season

The cooler wetter months can be challenging to those of us living with arthritis and other chronic conditions. The sudden shift in the temperature, dark mornings, and dusky evenings make the joints a little stiffer, giving us more fatigue and a bit more pain as Mother Nature tries to settle into her new role. As the fall rains come down in the misty mornings of September, we mark this month in two ways – the change in seasons and Arthritis Awareness Month.

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One Year Later…

One year ago, my husband and I said to hell with Covid and decided to get married – so we did. One year later, we are celebrating our anniversary in a brave new world. The pandemic altered a lot of plans – travel, birthday parties, graduations, and weddings. We were forced to learn a new…

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Heatwave

It’s 2:00 am in the morning, and the fan has been on most of the night. The temperature reads 26 Celsius (78.8 Fahrenheit) in our apartment. The balcony door is open in the hope that a smidge of cool air might waft up from the ocean and offer some relief. A few hours from now…

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White Noise

It’s halfway through the month of May and the sun has made a reappearance after a few days of unsettled overcast weather. I get out of bed feeling the heat in my swollen fingers and shake the morning stiffness from my knees. It’s the one of the few mornings I have noticed the presence of…

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Echoes of Hope

It’s a warm sunny afternoon, a week before the official arrival of spring. Wild crocuses and daffodils are erupting from the fresh soil, and the cherry blossoms have started painting neighbourhoods in a blushing pink hue. The birds are nesting and celebrating the arrival of a new season of hope and life in song –…

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If You Like What You See

Some people have inquired if there’s a place to donate on my blog. This is for those who would like to offer extra support for my work and I thank you for this.

A bigger thank you to all my readers who offer ongoing support simply by stopping by for a visit. I enjoy writing and interacting with you.

About me

J.G. Chayko is a writer, actress, and international arthritis advocate who’s been involved in theatre for more than 30 years and has published poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction.