exercise
Flipping an omelet was a simple task. Turning from side to side in the bed was once a thoughtless maneuver. Putting on pants while standing was second nature and required no thought or attention. Hopping from the chair to attend to a recalled task was a snap. Flicking a light switch was accomplished with lightening speed. Turning quickly because you remembered something in the other direction required no attention to the process of turning around. “Past” is the tense in each of the previous statements. So many things this “whipper-snapper” took for granted have become the thief demanding attention where no attention was before required. This stranger called Parkinson’s disease has decided to take up residence. His presence is unwelcomed and he was uninvited. His intrusiveness is fuel for my anger at times and a reminder of my grief at what has been lost. I reflect on life before his invasion and though saddened at times by loss I cannot help but be thankful that those years of freedom were given. Today the struggle is not as much with the resistance to movement or the slowness to respond to my every whim, but rather with the integration of what is today, with the memory of what used to be. Each day now becomes a new opportunity to exercise what remains. Placing grief at the feet of thankfulness helps create a path forward with the legs of gratitude.
Weakness and some atrophy on the right side have been the sign and symptom of this PD diagnosis. Overcompensation on the left side has rendered muscles there sore and aching. A visit with the Physical Therapist rendered a series of exercises that target muscle strengthening and relaxation of others. She suggested a “test” walk with a foot brace that is designed to restore “follow through” with each step. I was amazed! The pain went away and my gait seemed restored. Pride swept in as I masked my eagerness with the thoughts that what had been lost could be restored with the right exercise regimen. Three weeks passed and exercises were at least moderately engaged. As the trek to the therapist appointment ensued it became obvious that the exercises had rendered virtually no measurable improvement, although some flexibility had been restored. We chatted about the exercises and I admitted my relief with the brace. She confirmed my acceptance by noting her observation of my enhanced walking ability with the brace engaged. Set with additional exercise routines, our next appointment will include the prosthetic brace designer. The act of surrendering my ego to embrace the agility provided by an orthotic device has rendered me eager to engage the freedom promised. Gratitude now invades the space that was overcrowded by ego and thankfulness lifts hope for greater function in this blessing called life!
Blowing permeating warmth, the old furnace was fulfilling its purpose on this late winter morning. Long before the alarm clock sang out its tune of time to wake; my old acquaintance by the name of pain had decided to visit. He often just makes himself known in the region of my lower back, delivering a steady ache as he makes his presence known. Changing position often helps him quiet down, but ultimately, one must rise to an upright posture to accommodate this intruder who wishes to make himself a home. Wide awake, morning routine supersedes the alarm and the day is off to a grateful start. Walking outside with the dog as she answers nature’s call and attending to fumbling with animal feeding leads to quiet time with coffee and prayers of gratefulness for the opportunities that lie ahead. Pain has not left the premises, but the metaphorical rearrangement of furniture has put him in a tolerable place until he decides to seek attention once more. Attending to strategic exercises today that strengthens the shield against the intruder’s wrangling are on the agenda. Filled with thankfulness for another day of opportunity to experience the wonders of the Maker’s grace, this aging vessel seeks to serve its purpose.
The parking lot was packed and the car key container just inside the door was overflowing. One could tell that the lack of gym visits because of the weather had ignited a firestorm of members to work out this morning. Usually there are those la-te-da’s who seem to sit by idly on the exercise machines as they peck furiously at the face of their cell phones while more than a few of us are chomping to get on with the reason we came to the gym – EXERCISE! As this already begrudging participant sat spinning on the bike while warming the muscles to the notion of activity, I was struck with the idea of looking at my task with the mind of gratitude that I’ve been so keen to laud of late. My world began to change as I moved from impatience to a mind conversation with the Creator. Judgment, anger, impatience, and anxiety about my self-imposed exercise environment dissolved in the light of thankfulness that such an opportunity exists that allows for maintaining stamina and flexibility in the face of fatigue and stiffness. With near amazement the time at the gym flew by as I gathered my gear and set off for my next errand. The rest of the day has followed with the pursuit of gratitude along the way. An occasional stumble into the arms of impatience served as a frosty reminder that the warmth of thankfulness is a more soothing wrap. Gratitude is a more comfortable wrap than the prickly pants of impatience!
Clouds boasting bright pink and lavender make a swath across the northern sky as the morning sun makes its appearance from the east. The stillness of the morning permeates the frost laden fields painting an almost surreal picture on nature’s canvas. The artistry signifies a change is on the way. Sun and scattered clouds will soon give way to a darker canopy of rain and snow. The change is inevitable and if comfort is to be maintained, accommodation must be made for its arrival. The change from activity midst tropical breezes and warm surroundings to that of colder and more foreboding climes requires accommodation as well. A change back to regular visits to the health and fitness club along with carefully executed stretching and flexing will restore this movement resistant body to one more adept at negotiating what non disease affected persons experience as normal movement. Blanketed with the embrace of gratefulness this thankful heart beats rhythms of joy at today’s opportunities. Let the victories begin!
Lying peacefully in the arms of slumber, dreamland was all around. Suddenly a band of wet saliva encased my still sleeping nose perched peacefully near the edge of the bed. An auto reflexive swipe at my proboscis came with a sudden awareness that daybreak was soon upon us. Gracie the now gigantic puppy was alerting me in her pack language that a visit to the grassy knoll was now desired. Somewhat begrudgingly the bedroom slippers embraced my feet just prior to the first stretch of the day. The puppy, born in the time of daylight saving, has not yet made friends with the reversion to standard time. Her actions, though inconvenient to my repose, give me great assurance of her desire not to soil the den she so lovingly shares with us. Likewise, I have reasoned, pains and discomforts though not welcomed visitors, give notice that attention is needed within their realm. Some are satiated by routine exercise and stretching whereas others require different palliative approaches. Being attuned to the language of one’s body is an important step along the path to optimal health. May we all become better listeners!
The aftermath of a painful day is like the calm after a storm. An evening of sleep was a respite to the aching battle of the day before. The intensity of the discomfort was not recognized in its midst, but rather plowed under as the day’s agenda unfolded. Pain relievers delivered a slight reprieve from the aching intensity while allowing for clouded focus on tasks at hand. Today there is relief and a desire to bask in the ache free afterglow by perching quietly in the embrace of the trusted recliner. Thankful for the release from the jail of discomfort, this detainee chooses not to discard those things that provide the greatest resource against recapture. This freedom fighter chooses to engage his routine of exercise and attention to physical activity that challenges, maintains and builds stamina. With a grateful heart this graced soul rises to the challenge in another gifted day and anticipates the new blessings that unfold. Today is yet to be discovered.
The old tobacco barn was packed with sticks of hanging leaves three tiers deep. The Hardy family, sharecropping the farm with the help of day laborers, had harnessed the mules, attached the “slides” behind the beasts and filled each slide with yellowing leaves from the bottom of the plants in the field. Bright leaf tobacco was the primary agricultural crop in rural North Carolina in those days and it was labor intensive. Once “strung” on wooden sticks (all by hand) the leaf laden sticks were hoisted to their temporary destination in the wooden barn for the curing process. Around the clock attention was required as the fire boxes were stoked with wood cut from the farm during the previous cold winter months. I often kept Mr. Hardy company by spreading a blanket in one of the slides and staring at the star filled sky until sleep came to visit. While I slept Mr. Hardy kept the fire going, checking the barn’s inside temperature to ensure the appropriate rendering of a bright golden leaf of “cured” tobacco that would be most attractive to the company making the bid that fall at the local auction house. Much more was required before the cherished crop was ready for market, but in the end, more times than not, everyone was happy when the marketing was complete and plans for the next season could be anticipated. Living well requires the daily attention to the tasks required for the harvest that is to come. Exercise yields greater strength in movement. Good nutrition underpins optimal metabolism required for a crop of healthy living. Attending to mind and soul by “stoking” the flames of passion for life and its giver, renders a product second to none. May your crop be one of high yield as you attend the things required in its preparation!
The air is crisp and the sun is rising as the dew reflects the light’s embrace. Lettuce leaves stand erect, full of moisture and snap easily at the twist of my nimble fingers. Blackberry, the rabbit is about to be served his morning feast of freshly harvested greens, satiating his quest for daily sustenance. Green tomatoes weigh down the already drooping plants as the last crop of summer hastens its journey to harvest before the first frost of fall. As Gracie, the Golden Retriever pup races through the now grass flooded pathways between the garden beds, I’m reminded that my lack of weeding this summer has rendered a crop of grass as robust as the vegetables so lovingly planted and nurtured. The grass knows not that it is not welcomed. It was there long before the well crafted square foot garden. Nonetheless, its unwelcomed presence must be attended in anticipation of next spring’s bounty, so the task for this weekend is etched in the mind’s agenda. The weeds and grass must be diminished lest they overtake the well planned crop. I can’t help but recognize the uncanny symbolism between the weeds and the crop in the garden and the challenges I find in life. If I don’t stay ahead of the “weeding” game of exercise of body, mind, and soul, the “weeds” of stiffness, melancholy and self-absorption creep in to overtake the crop of ongoing agility, thankfulness, and care for the well being of others. Weeding done, I find comfort in the presence of myself, my maker, and others. My “weeding” requires attention and I am grateful that each day presents the opportunity to reflect on “how did your garden grow?”