Friday, October 7, 2011

Lessons learned along the way

About 3 or so weeks ago, I decided that I had had enough of being "stuck" in the house. I wanted to get back in the world. Go back to work. Do all of the things I normally do. I decided to push myself. It made sense. If you push yourself in the gym, you get results. Push yourself at work, you get promoted.... Well, that is apparently if you are ready to be pushed. Against the advice of my doctor and even my own dad, to take it easy, I pushed. I mowed the lawn, weeded, weed whacked, raked and made the outside of my house look like it had been visited by a professional gardener. I ignored being tired and some what out of breath. I even ignored feeling dehydrated. In short, my body pushed back.

The symptom started a few days later with a sore throat and a tight chest, by nightfall, I was feverish and knew I had a chest cold. The cold lingered, making it impossible to do the things I love to do. In fact anything but laying around with the dogs (which they seemed to love) was not possible. Now, three weeks later, I am just getting over the cough. My flem has gone from green to yellow and now clear. I am on the mend, but carry the wisdom that I should have listened.

Where have I heard that before? Oh yeah, here in my blog. In my head and heart. Listening has always been one of my own shortcomings and now, I was the victim of my own selfish ways. I get it. Just because we hear something or understand something doesn't always mean the we have applied it, and clearly I am guilty of not applying this lesson. Ken still complains that I don't listen to him. That should have been a clue. Additionally, I am still having trouble speaking, because I didn't apply the lessons of my speech therapist and practice daily (apparently talking to myself and the dogs just isn't enough). The other thing I am guilty of is not practicing meditation and prayer on a daily basis. I have stated several times and still believe that those two things were paramount in my healing. Wouldn't it stand to reason that not practicing them could be paramount in a relapse? It makes sense to me. So now the plan is to sit aside some time each day. Time to listen. Listen to God. Listen to my heart and mind. Listen to others, especially Ken. Maybe I'll even listen to my doctor and my dad and take things just a little bit easier.

Of course in the mean time, I do plan on asking the universe for more energy, perfect health, but in praying for specifics, I am reminded of the old Quaker saying: "Pray, but then move your feet". Perfect health and energy are possible for everyone of us, but just like practicing other disciplines, they both require practice and, well,  discipline.  Proper Nutrition, staying hydrated, exercise, rest  and LISTENING to our bodies when they are telling us something. OK, so no healing chocolate donuts, no matter how tempted I am. I am after something much sweeter than a quick sugar fix and that is living a sweet life.

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