I'm having a hard time getting out of bed in the mornings. I could just lay there with the covers brought up to my nose (to keep it warm) forever.
I know that I should be getting up to do some stretching exercises. And now that I'm flexible again ... I should get back on the exercise bandwagon. But ... I'd rather sleep.
I shower at night, so that I don't have to waste that time in the morning. It seems that I move as slow as molasses in the morning (and you should see the molasses in my house ... it doesn't even budge! ... kind of like me) and I hate to add any time consuming tasks to my early morning routine.
I am bogged down by too many things - unfinished Christmas cards; unfinished Christmas shopping; book keeping to be done; baking that I could do; a house to declutter; my bedroom is chaotic with 'Christmas' strewn everywhere.
Everywhere I look, I see something that I should be doing.
So ... I sleep. Wake me up when Christmas is over, okay?
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
It's A Wonderful Life
I just lived one of the most enjoyable weekends ...
I spent Saturday afternoon with Second Son as he took me out to see his land acquisition. I can see his vision ... clearing out the old and starting over. The new house with the windows ... the view. It will take a while to get from 'here' to 'there'. But if anyone can do it, he can.
Sunday was a day spent immersed in Christmas and family.
I love the connection that I have with my adult children. They are as individual as their finger prints. And though they are polar opposites in many ways ... there is a connection that is starting to take hold.
I hear it when Second Son sides with his brother and reminds me of 'the man's point of view'. I see it when I tell my Oldest what his brother has said to me. He sits a little taller and there is a twinkle in his eye as if "Ya ... he gets it!" and he knows that he has an ally at his side.
Our family is going through an interesting time. It seems that each of us is bringing our strengths to the table to help a family member in need. We are unique in our viewpoints but united in our end goal.
It took a crisis to get our family to this point. A crisis that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I wish that the situation that united us could be erased. But that is not the case. So our little family has become united in our mission to ease another through a painful experience.
My family hasn't always had this united front. If there is one positive that has come out of a bad situation, it is the fact that I have 'regained a son'. We were lost ... but now we are found. We are family.
It is a wonderful life.
I spent Saturday afternoon with Second Son as he took me out to see his land acquisition. I can see his vision ... clearing out the old and starting over. The new house with the windows ... the view. It will take a while to get from 'here' to 'there'. But if anyone can do it, he can.
Sunday was a day spent immersed in Christmas and family.
I love the connection that I have with my adult children. They are as individual as their finger prints. And though they are polar opposites in many ways ... there is a connection that is starting to take hold.
I hear it when Second Son sides with his brother and reminds me of 'the man's point of view'. I see it when I tell my Oldest what his brother has said to me. He sits a little taller and there is a twinkle in his eye as if "Ya ... he gets it!" and he knows that he has an ally at his side.
Our family is going through an interesting time. It seems that each of us is bringing our strengths to the table to help a family member in need. We are unique in our viewpoints but united in our end goal.
It took a crisis to get our family to this point. A crisis that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. I wish that the situation that united us could be erased. But that is not the case. So our little family has become united in our mission to ease another through a painful experience.
My family hasn't always had this united front. If there is one positive that has come out of a bad situation, it is the fact that I have 'regained a son'. We were lost ... but now we are found. We are family.
It is a wonderful life.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Backed Into a Corner
I think we all have a strong survival instinct within us. It is human instinct, to fight to the finish.
My mom often recalls the mighty battle that she witnessed between a mouse and a cat when we lived on the farm. This mouse was a goner no matter what he did, but he was not going down without a fight. I remember Mom's admiration of this brave little mouse that wasn't going to make it easy for the cat, who was simply playing with its food before he sat down to savor his meal.
I can remember being at a point that I would have done whatever it took to keep my children safe. There were no limits as to what I would have done to protect my young. That mother bear instinct runs deep. Just put three 'mother bears' together who are each fighting for their children. Been there, done that. It wasn't pretty. But we were all fighting for the same thing. Our children.
There are many battles that we face in our lives.
The sibling rivalry that seems to arise whenever there is more than one child in a family. Maybe those confrontations are necessary to teach us how to stand up for ourselves in future life situations. We learn some lessons about our own limits and those of others as we 'wage war' with our siblings.
There are the bullies we meet as we go through life. Those who push their way through to get at the front of the line and some that relentlessly tease those 'weaker' than they are. We get older and there are those that will do whatever it takes to get to the top of the corporate ladder and neighbors that push the boundaries.
We learn as we go. We find out what our own limits are and we know when we must take a stand. It's good to know your own limits ... and the limits of others.
When you feel backed into a corner, it is natural to fight back. You do what it takes to take control of the situation.
But when the other party is backed into their own corner, war is declared. And "war is hell" (someone else's words).
I am on the sidelines of a battle where I can see no winners. It's a hard thing to watch, but it is not my place to jump into the middle. It is my tendency though.
I wish that I could plop myself in between the enemies and have each of them look at things in a way that was non-confrontational. I have a feeling if both parties didn't feel backed into that corner, they would both be willing to each give a little, to come to a compromise.
A compromise is the only way to win.
There are no winners in a war. No matter what, once arms are drawn there are casualties on both sides. Signing a peace treaty is the safest way out.
I'm hoping for a speedy resolution. But in the back of my mind, I am picturing that mighty little mouse fighting for all he is worth. We are all capable of doing battle when it comes to what we believe in.
I'm not cheering for a winner. I'm rooting for 'world peace'.
My mom often recalls the mighty battle that she witnessed between a mouse and a cat when we lived on the farm. This mouse was a goner no matter what he did, but he was not going down without a fight. I remember Mom's admiration of this brave little mouse that wasn't going to make it easy for the cat, who was simply playing with its food before he sat down to savor his meal.
I can remember being at a point that I would have done whatever it took to keep my children safe. There were no limits as to what I would have done to protect my young. That mother bear instinct runs deep. Just put three 'mother bears' together who are each fighting for their children. Been there, done that. It wasn't pretty. But we were all fighting for the same thing. Our children.
There are many battles that we face in our lives.
The sibling rivalry that seems to arise whenever there is more than one child in a family. Maybe those confrontations are necessary to teach us how to stand up for ourselves in future life situations. We learn some lessons about our own limits and those of others as we 'wage war' with our siblings.
There are the bullies we meet as we go through life. Those who push their way through to get at the front of the line and some that relentlessly tease those 'weaker' than they are. We get older and there are those that will do whatever it takes to get to the top of the corporate ladder and neighbors that push the boundaries.
We learn as we go. We find out what our own limits are and we know when we must take a stand. It's good to know your own limits ... and the limits of others.
When you feel backed into a corner, it is natural to fight back. You do what it takes to take control of the situation.
But when the other party is backed into their own corner, war is declared. And "war is hell" (someone else's words).
I am on the sidelines of a battle where I can see no winners. It's a hard thing to watch, but it is not my place to jump into the middle. It is my tendency though.
I wish that I could plop myself in between the enemies and have each of them look at things in a way that was non-confrontational. I have a feeling if both parties didn't feel backed into that corner, they would both be willing to each give a little, to come to a compromise.
A compromise is the only way to win.
There are no winners in a war. No matter what, once arms are drawn there are casualties on both sides. Signing a peace treaty is the safest way out.
I'm hoping for a speedy resolution. But in the back of my mind, I am picturing that mighty little mouse fighting for all he is worth. We are all capable of doing battle when it comes to what we believe in.
I'm not cheering for a winner. I'm rooting for 'world peace'.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Winding Up the Week
I get to spend the day at home today. The kids have one more day off of school before their 16 day Christmas vacation. It has been 2 weeks since their last day off of school ... and 2 weeks prior to that, they had another school holiday. Do I detect a pattern?
The week was a productive one.
I'm working my way through my Christmas cards. It seemed like an onerous task at first, but I started by addressing the envelopes. I am writing the cards in the order they appear before me. Each time I unveil the next name I think to myself 'Oh! I can't wait to visit ___!!' And so I go. I'm about half way through my pile. Slowly but surely, I'll get there.
I had to tackle the statements for my book keeping job this week. I had basically one free evening to accomplish the task. Between going out Tuesday night and last night being consumed with dancing ... I had one night to do my job. First off ... I ran out of statement stuffers about half way through the job. Next ... I needed more envelopes to complete my work. Then ... I got the statement stuffers and envelope supply replenished ... and I need more statement stuffers. Again.
I had a request to 'write a little something' about our dance showcase for our dance blog (http://dancedynamicssaskatoon.blogspot.com/) so I wrote that up while I was waiting for my hair to dry, after I'd run out of supplies to finish doing the statements. I love writing about dancing ... so I was thrilled to be asked.
Dancing last night was fun, fun, fun. My private lesson - great. Group lesson number one - I kept up (I'm still learning the lead, so I truly belong in the beginner class). Group lesson number two - my feet were starting to ache and the dancing was becoming much harder for a beginner leader in an intermediate class. But I persevered. The best part of the evening was the people. I love visiting with my fellow-dancers and I feel such a part of the group atmosphere. I was the last one out the door last night. I could have chatted all night.
Yesterday, I wrote an exam at school that I have been studying for all week. I kept forgetting that I couldn't go to school today so I thought I'd write the exam today. But I wanted to get it done before the week ended (for my sanity's sake). So ... I wrote it.
I struggled with the Lab Exercise at the end of the book. I really struggled with the practical part of the pre-test exam. But I worked my way through both of these monumental challenges and I thought 'If I can do that, I can do anything' ... so I wrote the test.
I felt like I had aced the exam and was so grateful that I had forged ahead. Then, the final score appeared before me. Ten percent higher than I needed to pass the exam ... but also ten percent short of the goal that I had set for myself. I was deflated.
My average plummeted four percent because of this exam. But it is my hope that it was one of the harder courses (the third level of 'Excel' ... I learned things that I have never heard about before). Oh well. It is done. Time to pull up my socks and do better from from this point on.
Now I have today. A full day to keep forging on to the next challenges of the week. Book keeping work will soon be arriving. I can keep puttering with my Christmas cards. I finally have the time and money to go shopping for some things that I have been putting off for the past month. The day should be broken up into many different pieces so that I can accomplish a little of this and a little of that.
It felt good to have a busy week. When I have too much time on my hands, I accomplish very little. But give me deadlines and short periods of time where much is expected and I can usually achieve what I set out to do.
This is the pace that I need in my life. It was a very good week.
The week was a productive one.
I'm working my way through my Christmas cards. It seemed like an onerous task at first, but I started by addressing the envelopes. I am writing the cards in the order they appear before me. Each time I unveil the next name I think to myself 'Oh! I can't wait to visit ___!!' And so I go. I'm about half way through my pile. Slowly but surely, I'll get there.
I had to tackle the statements for my book keeping job this week. I had basically one free evening to accomplish the task. Between going out Tuesday night and last night being consumed with dancing ... I had one night to do my job. First off ... I ran out of statement stuffers about half way through the job. Next ... I needed more envelopes to complete my work. Then ... I got the statement stuffers and envelope supply replenished ... and I need more statement stuffers. Again.
I had a request to 'write a little something' about our dance showcase for our dance blog (http://dancedynamicssaskatoon.blogspot.com/) so I wrote that up while I was waiting for my hair to dry, after I'd run out of supplies to finish doing the statements. I love writing about dancing ... so I was thrilled to be asked.
Dancing last night was fun, fun, fun. My private lesson - great. Group lesson number one - I kept up (I'm still learning the lead, so I truly belong in the beginner class). Group lesson number two - my feet were starting to ache and the dancing was becoming much harder for a beginner leader in an intermediate class. But I persevered. The best part of the evening was the people. I love visiting with my fellow-dancers and I feel such a part of the group atmosphere. I was the last one out the door last night. I could have chatted all night.
Yesterday, I wrote an exam at school that I have been studying for all week. I kept forgetting that I couldn't go to school today so I thought I'd write the exam today. But I wanted to get it done before the week ended (for my sanity's sake). So ... I wrote it.
I struggled with the Lab Exercise at the end of the book. I really struggled with the practical part of the pre-test exam. But I worked my way through both of these monumental challenges and I thought 'If I can do that, I can do anything' ... so I wrote the test.
I felt like I had aced the exam and was so grateful that I had forged ahead. Then, the final score appeared before me. Ten percent higher than I needed to pass the exam ... but also ten percent short of the goal that I had set for myself. I was deflated.
My average plummeted four percent because of this exam. But it is my hope that it was one of the harder courses (the third level of 'Excel' ... I learned things that I have never heard about before). Oh well. It is done. Time to pull up my socks and do better from from this point on.
Now I have today. A full day to keep forging on to the next challenges of the week. Book keeping work will soon be arriving. I can keep puttering with my Christmas cards. I finally have the time and money to go shopping for some things that I have been putting off for the past month. The day should be broken up into many different pieces so that I can accomplish a little of this and a little of that.
It felt good to have a busy week. When I have too much time on my hands, I accomplish very little. But give me deadlines and short periods of time where much is expected and I can usually achieve what I set out to do.
This is the pace that I need in my life. It was a very good week.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
It's Starting to Feel a Lot Like Christmas
A little bit of snow and cooler weather has put a little bit of 'Christmas' into my step.
I've had the house decorated for several days now, but finding a few treasures in amongst a box of decorations that I hadn't looked at until yesterday, added a little bit of wonder to my treasure cove of 'Gifts From Christmas Past'.
I have amassed quite a collection of Christmas decorations over the years. I don't spend money on decorations (just ask any of my kids, they will vouch for my Scrooge-like-ways when it comes to falling into the spell of Christmas marketing). But I have received many Christmas ornaments as gifts.
What I enjoy most, is my collection of angels. I have several angels that I keep on display year-round. I love the feeling of a world where I'm watched over by angels.
Each angel I've received has been a gift. Just like the angels here on earth, that gave them to me. My friends.
Many of my angels have a fibre optic light that makes them glow. I love the lights of Christmas ... my most special glowing angels are my favorite treat.
I have my favorite Rosie Christmas CD's in my car and I'm singing my way into the season. As I sat at a light yesterday morning, with my rockin' Christmas songs resounding within (and outside of) my car, a pedestrian waved at me as he made his way across the street. I smiled to myself and thought 'It must be the music' ...
There is a fluffy white ground cover this morning and it looks kind of pretty. Of course, the Scrooge in me thought 'Another chore to do tonight ... shovelling the walks'.
As I go about the chores that this season brings, I will keep my heart full of the gifts of this season. As I gaze into my china cabinet that displays my many Gifts From Christmases Past, I will think of the friends and family that are sprinkled throughout my life.
I have a specially decorated Christmas tree ornament that I have placed in a wine glass to give it the attention it deserves. A handmade ornament that says ''Special Friend''. I gaze up to the top shelf where I have my family photos displayed. And beside one of my favorite photos of my sisters and me, I have a tiny little angel that says "My Sister, My Friend".
I am graced by many gifts. None of which come wrapped in shiny paper. It is my friends and my family that make this season special. They are the gifts I treasure every day of the year.
I've had the house decorated for several days now, but finding a few treasures in amongst a box of decorations that I hadn't looked at until yesterday, added a little bit of wonder to my treasure cove of 'Gifts From Christmas Past'.
I have amassed quite a collection of Christmas decorations over the years. I don't spend money on decorations (just ask any of my kids, they will vouch for my Scrooge-like-ways when it comes to falling into the spell of Christmas marketing). But I have received many Christmas ornaments as gifts.
What I enjoy most, is my collection of angels. I have several angels that I keep on display year-round. I love the feeling of a world where I'm watched over by angels.
Each angel I've received has been a gift. Just like the angels here on earth, that gave them to me. My friends.
Many of my angels have a fibre optic light that makes them glow. I love the lights of Christmas ... my most special glowing angels are my favorite treat.
I have my favorite Rosie Christmas CD's in my car and I'm singing my way into the season. As I sat at a light yesterday morning, with my rockin' Christmas songs resounding within (and outside of) my car, a pedestrian waved at me as he made his way across the street. I smiled to myself and thought 'It must be the music' ...
There is a fluffy white ground cover this morning and it looks kind of pretty. Of course, the Scrooge in me thought 'Another chore to do tonight ... shovelling the walks'.
As I go about the chores that this season brings, I will keep my heart full of the gifts of this season. As I gaze into my china cabinet that displays my many Gifts From Christmases Past, I will think of the friends and family that are sprinkled throughout my life.
I have a specially decorated Christmas tree ornament that I have placed in a wine glass to give it the attention it deserves. A handmade ornament that says ''Special Friend''. I gaze up to the top shelf where I have my family photos displayed. And beside one of my favorite photos of my sisters and me, I have a tiny little angel that says "My Sister, My Friend".
I am graced by many gifts. None of which come wrapped in shiny paper. It is my friends and my family that make this season special. They are the gifts I treasure every day of the year.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
So I Thought I Could Dance
I went to "So You Think You Can Dance" (an early Christmas gift from Second Son). And all I can say is "WOW!" I know they can dance.
As I putter around with my dance lessons, a few things start to stick after a while. But all in all, it is ballroom dancing. For the most part, I am following the leader. Maybe a lot is familiar to me because I have repetitively done something ... but I am following. I don't think I can dance.
I watched the fast feet, the amazing choreography, the way these young dancers put their heart and souls into their dancing and I marvelled at it all.
The evening started with a perfectly choreographed group formation dance. Having been part of a formation dance group myself and knowing the vision that our instructor has for us when we are learning our parts, I had an appreciation for the dance.
There are so many elements that I heard our instructor tell us he was aiming for ... confusion, then order ... breaking off into parts where half the group do one thing, the other half do another, then BAM! Everyone is in sync again. Individuality among the group. Technique! technique! technique! You think when you are part of a group of 10 people, that no one would notice. I sure noticed last night.
One person didn't stand out from the group because they were all powerful dancers. You noticed what was meant to be noticed. The artistry of the choreography - the dance as a whole. It was poetry in motion, to the beat of the music as this group danced as one. Amazing.
Then they coupled off and kept entertaining us. A nonstop flow of dancing. I was familiar with some of the dances, some were new and kind of funky to me (but still entertaining to watch) ... all of it was amazing. I wished that I had a score card along with me to see how many times each one of them danced. Sure the dances were brief, but you should have seen their feet move! There was an incredible amount of footwork and dance moves to be memorized. Oh, the elasticity of those young minds! Minds that most likely have been geared towards dance since they were young children. Minds that aren't consumed with squeezing in time for dance in between work, kids, budgeting, errands and all of life's other obligations. Minds that are focused on the task at hand. Dancing.
As I watched each one of the solo routines, I couldn't help but think of the hours that I used to spend in my bedroom in my pre-teen years. Dancing. This was almost 40 years ago. I turned on my music - loud. And I danced. I choreographed many solo routines and I put my heart and soul into them. I dreamed of a day when I would be 'famous' and dance in front of an audience (okay, okay ... in my young, childish mind I was also part of a duo like Sonny and Cher). But I was a star in my mind. I was doing what hadn't been done before. I was dancing my solo routine in front of millions.
I couldn't help but think back on those childhood dreams and think that in some small way, I have accomplished a part of that dream. I dance. I would love to have a life style that afforded the opportunity to lose myself in the world of dance. I watched those athletic young dancers on the stage last night and thought of other types of dance lessons that I would love to take. Then ... I thought of the reality of how I stumble through the elementary dance patterns that I am learning right now. And I thought: are you crazy? But then I thought "No" ... I have the desire to stretch my abilities beyond where they are right now. I may not have the time or money to pursue everything that I wish that I could. But I can most definitely make the most out of what I already have.
Yes ... I thought I could dance. But ... I know I could learn to dance better.
As I putter around with my dance lessons, a few things start to stick after a while. But all in all, it is ballroom dancing. For the most part, I am following the leader. Maybe a lot is familiar to me because I have repetitively done something ... but I am following. I don't think I can dance.
I watched the fast feet, the amazing choreography, the way these young dancers put their heart and souls into their dancing and I marvelled at it all.
The evening started with a perfectly choreographed group formation dance. Having been part of a formation dance group myself and knowing the vision that our instructor has for us when we are learning our parts, I had an appreciation for the dance.
There are so many elements that I heard our instructor tell us he was aiming for ... confusion, then order ... breaking off into parts where half the group do one thing, the other half do another, then BAM! Everyone is in sync again. Individuality among the group. Technique! technique! technique! You think when you are part of a group of 10 people, that no one would notice. I sure noticed last night.
One person didn't stand out from the group because they were all powerful dancers. You noticed what was meant to be noticed. The artistry of the choreography - the dance as a whole. It was poetry in motion, to the beat of the music as this group danced as one. Amazing.
Then they coupled off and kept entertaining us. A nonstop flow of dancing. I was familiar with some of the dances, some were new and kind of funky to me (but still entertaining to watch) ... all of it was amazing. I wished that I had a score card along with me to see how many times each one of them danced. Sure the dances were brief, but you should have seen their feet move! There was an incredible amount of footwork and dance moves to be memorized. Oh, the elasticity of those young minds! Minds that most likely have been geared towards dance since they were young children. Minds that aren't consumed with squeezing in time for dance in between work, kids, budgeting, errands and all of life's other obligations. Minds that are focused on the task at hand. Dancing.
As I watched each one of the solo routines, I couldn't help but think of the hours that I used to spend in my bedroom in my pre-teen years. Dancing. This was almost 40 years ago. I turned on my music - loud. And I danced. I choreographed many solo routines and I put my heart and soul into them. I dreamed of a day when I would be 'famous' and dance in front of an audience (okay, okay ... in my young, childish mind I was also part of a duo like Sonny and Cher). But I was a star in my mind. I was doing what hadn't been done before. I was dancing my solo routine in front of millions.
I couldn't help but think back on those childhood dreams and think that in some small way, I have accomplished a part of that dream. I dance. I would love to have a life style that afforded the opportunity to lose myself in the world of dance. I watched those athletic young dancers on the stage last night and thought of other types of dance lessons that I would love to take. Then ... I thought of the reality of how I stumble through the elementary dance patterns that I am learning right now. And I thought: are you crazy? But then I thought "No" ... I have the desire to stretch my abilities beyond where they are right now. I may not have the time or money to pursue everything that I wish that I could. But I can most definitely make the most out of what I already have.
Yes ... I thought I could dance. But ... I know I could learn to dance better.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Quiet Thoughts
My head was awake long before my alarm went off this morning. Even so, I revelled in just lying still (long after my alarm went off), enjoying the warmth ... the quiet ... the peace of mind.
I am sitting here with my coffee, sitting in the glow of our Christmas lights. No other lights. This ... is what I love.
I have a myriad of thoughts wafting through my mind ...
As I looked at the burn (this time it's not a cooking burn ... though don't ask me how I did it ... I burnt my neck) that is almost healed and at the small gash on my hand (I stabbed myself with an Exacto knife ... amazing how quickly and how much one bleeds when you do that) ... and I thought of the cold that I thought I was going to have to battle last week (as I suffered with a sore throat during the nights) ... I marvelled at my body's ability to heal itself.
Our bodies are amazing when they are in good working order. The healing powers that we carry within ... the antibodies that wage wars for us and make us well. Our brain that is the nerve center of it all and carries the messages to various parts of our body to 'do what has to be done'.
Yes, when our bodies work according to plan, they are a wondrous things.
Then ... when they don't, we have a medical system in place that can (often) spot what needs to be fixed ... and it can (often) offer solutions on how to fix it.
As I wrote that, I couldn't help but think of the people that I know that have varying health challenges that they face every day.
The diseases that are chronic and become a way of life. Hearts that need medical attention. Tumors and cancers that have tried to take up residence within. The deterioration that comes with the wear and tear that we put our bodies through. The after effects of fighting off a virus (shingles comes to mind, as I know a handful of people who have been affected with that this year).
As I sit and reflect on the people who are battling various conditions, I'm reminded how very fortunate I am to have a body that is in good running order.
We are very fortunate when our doctors can pinpoint exactly what is wrong with a body part and fix us up. Though every surgery carries risks, the potential of a positive outcome is high in a lot of cases. Although it is very minor in comparison, I can't help but think of the gratitude that I felt when I walked into the hospital feeling pretty rotten one day ... and walked out (after hernia surgery) the next afternoon feeling a little tender from surgery, but I knew that the underlying cause of my discomfort was eradicated. It was a miracle.
There are those that wake up every morning knowing that they must find a way to best manage their symptoms, for which there is no magical surgery to erase the source of their discomfort. Yet many times what I see within those people is an amazing ability to forge on.
Yes, as I gazed at the gash on my hand and the healing burn on my neck ... I was grateful. And I am thinking about those who are facing their own personal battles. They are the true heroes in my mind.
I am sitting here with my coffee, sitting in the glow of our Christmas lights. No other lights. This ... is what I love.
I have a myriad of thoughts wafting through my mind ...
As I looked at the burn (this time it's not a cooking burn ... though don't ask me how I did it ... I burnt my neck) that is almost healed and at the small gash on my hand (I stabbed myself with an Exacto knife ... amazing how quickly and how much one bleeds when you do that) ... and I thought of the cold that I thought I was going to have to battle last week (as I suffered with a sore throat during the nights) ... I marvelled at my body's ability to heal itself.
Our bodies are amazing when they are in good working order. The healing powers that we carry within ... the antibodies that wage wars for us and make us well. Our brain that is the nerve center of it all and carries the messages to various parts of our body to 'do what has to be done'.
Yes, when our bodies work according to plan, they are a wondrous things.
Then ... when they don't, we have a medical system in place that can (often) spot what needs to be fixed ... and it can (often) offer solutions on how to fix it.
As I wrote that, I couldn't help but think of the people that I know that have varying health challenges that they face every day.
The diseases that are chronic and become a way of life. Hearts that need medical attention. Tumors and cancers that have tried to take up residence within. The deterioration that comes with the wear and tear that we put our bodies through. The after effects of fighting off a virus (shingles comes to mind, as I know a handful of people who have been affected with that this year).
As I sit and reflect on the people who are battling various conditions, I'm reminded how very fortunate I am to have a body that is in good running order.
We are very fortunate when our doctors can pinpoint exactly what is wrong with a body part and fix us up. Though every surgery carries risks, the potential of a positive outcome is high in a lot of cases. Although it is very minor in comparison, I can't help but think of the gratitude that I felt when I walked into the hospital feeling pretty rotten one day ... and walked out (after hernia surgery) the next afternoon feeling a little tender from surgery, but I knew that the underlying cause of my discomfort was eradicated. It was a miracle.
There are those that wake up every morning knowing that they must find a way to best manage their symptoms, for which there is no magical surgery to erase the source of their discomfort. Yet many times what I see within those people is an amazing ability to forge on.
Yes, as I gazed at the gash on my hand and the healing burn on my neck ... I was grateful. And I am thinking about those who are facing their own personal battles. They are the true heroes in my mind.
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