Tag Archives: health

Workin’ my horticulture stations.

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Daily writing prompt
What’s the most fun way to exercise?
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Back in the day, when all limbs were fully functioning, a run or a ride were my go to’s.

Between my freshman and sophomore year in highschool, I sprouted like six or seven inches, and thinned out. I started to run, since I could finally do it without taking on a rolling appearance.

Brought a great sense of peace and connection. The town I lived in was sidewalked everywhere, so one could just lace ’em up and go. Early evening was great. I was almost going to stick with it, and try the cross country route at Central. But I listened to the football spirits instead, and now walking is about as fast and far as I can go.

When I got my first “corporate” job as a “manager trainee”, they had a locker room and shower on site. So I would hang a weeks worth of work clothes there and take the long way in and home on the ten speed. (…back then, that was as high as the cycle world could go. we must have had the same math issues…) I could go through forest preserves, some quasi-rural routes and get in twenty or so miles on the way in and a little more on the way out. Every day started pretty much stress free that way. I miss it.

Running has been shelved for sometime now. I have leaned into treadmill work at PF, with about a ten degree incline, and a rate that gets me a mile in about twenty. That is all well and good. But just not the same. The knee refuses to go all the way around, so I may have to rethink doing that again.

But the one escape I found to be great exercise is attending to the yard.

I may need to go to push mower front only and succumb to riding for the back. But raking is a tremendous core work out. I taught myself how to rake both right and left handed. That way no one side gets overstressed.

Weeding helps the core, on the knees or all fours. It offers mental benefits heretofore unknown. I think the term that best describes its merits is instantaneous gratification. You can relish in the work you just performed. Raking falls into that category as well.

Planting bulbs last fall was also a good core exercise. I don’t know if it is the soil in these parts, my lack of finesse with a bulb shovel or both. But I went through three of them in about a month. They found their resting spot in a recycling center. And the fruit of their sacrifice is being seen here and there around the house.

I am still getting in some time at PF. My weighted vest makes for a more invigorating walk. Almost seems redundant, adding weight to a frame already past the limit. And getting into the yard.

Me and my flowers!

Workin’ my horticulture stations.

As it was intended.

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Was able to elicit a profoundly layered perspective regarding the nature of stymieing personal challenges during a conversation this morning. It was one of those epiphanical moments that sent this stoic noggin a spinning. I am from the vinyl era, so that do make sense.

So when you are enmeshed in multitude personal issues and shortcomings that confound thought, word and deed, for whatever reason, they get tangled up, one in another. Constricting you like a leash or rope, tethering you to poor choices, deceit, ego, control, anger, resentment and strangely enough, isolation and abandonment. One would think that change in some manner or fashion would enable you to break free from this confinement with a steady, forceful pull.

Perhaps.

But if the thoughts, words and deeds remain the same, you will find yourself right back where you were before. Tied to the behaviors that led you to that personal imprisonment in the first place. Only this time, the rope maybe stronger, shorter and more painfully wrapped about your body mind, heart and soul.

Someone next to me referred to the act of unentanglement.

Coming to understand and confront what has you bound, one strand at a time. He cited that even though you may refrain from the action, the habitual self convincing approach to its continuation may yet remain. As such, each of those contrivances utilized to promulgate and perpetuate your current falsehood of a life need to be addressed, understood, cut, and dropped by the side of the road.

Period.

Maybe you can break that rope once or twice. But the fiber of its creation yet remains. Guaranteed to only come back in a stronger, more inhibiting and existence sapping manner.

But, if you break and then eliminate each strand, confinement to that way can no longer exist. Your change in your approach towards life then actually forms its own strands. Acting to extend outward, connecting you to others, healthy pursuits and affirming growth that act together, extending your reach, broadening your horizons and affirming your newly found true self.

Becoming woven into life in this manner means you are enmeshed with others.

True, healthy connection.

Ineinander.

One into the other.

Poor choices, ego, deceit, control, anger and resentment bind one up into isolation and abandonment. Cutting that cord, strand by strand, is freeing. It brings about a deeper understanding and appreciation for what you can become. No longer bound to the past, you can remain fully in the present. Abound in peace and serenity. Connecting to integrity, character, humility, joy and fulfilment.

The bond you now feel is that of respect, support, gratitude, compassion and love. One into the other.

One into living.

As it was intended.

Now that is needed.

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Daily writing prompt
What are your morning rituals? What does the first hour of your day look like?
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Over the years, a way sort of presented itself to me.

So I just went with it.

Of late, after I am sure I am breathing, I then have to ensure limbs function. Shuffle off to Buffalo, start coffee, concoct a liquid IV for my best friend and gather her backpack and thermos together. I like to pack her car early so she can just focus on getting ready for a day of teaching. That is plenty to think about.

If it is garbage day, they get rolled out. Make the bed. Make sure sink is empty. Then if I need to start fast, off to communion service by seven. If there is room, then off to morning mass a quarter after eight. In between, if time allows, then daily prompt. If not, then onto the day.

I once read that if at minimum you make your bed, then despite how the rest of the day pans out, you have accomplished one thing.

Bet you never guessed I make hospital corners.

So many things I attend to take time and investment to blossom. Sort of the path I have chosen to travel. So I will gladly accept healthy modes of instant gratification whenever possible. Like weeding. In thirty minutes, you can change the appearance of a flower bed. In three minutes, the appearance of your bedroom. In one, the kitchen.

Nothing nit picky about these whatsoever. The tone is set, the momentum gathers and you can ride that wave for the rest of the day. Same with ending it. Closing ceremony routine there. Maybe that is the next prompt?

Maybe it has been termed “routine” because it is something needed. But it doesn’t feel as such.

It’s just life.

And its simple joys.

Now that is needed.

I sure didn’t.

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Daily writing prompt
What was the best compliment you’ve received?
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So just a little bit about me first.

Maybe I share the same boat with some of you. Pulling an oar of low or no self esteem. Little or no awareness of self worth or value. Throw in a modicum of shame to go along with it. Maintaining an unhealthy reliance on others to determine these for me, because after all, they know better than I. Right?

So when you go about things like that, life turns out pretty much circular if you can picture it. Until someone chooses to climb aboard, take up the one on the other side, and row along with you for a bit. New waters. Different view of the horizon. Testing endurance. Working together towards a shared vision. As one. Blessed to say the occupancy on my vessel has grown of late.

You probably can guess what patriarchal pun is destined to follow that last sentence.

To me, compliments take on a different form. They aren’t so much made up of just words. They go far deeper than that. I view them as intention. A truly authentic giving of one into another, residing in trust, compassion and honesty. Putting another’s value and worth on display through thought, word and deed. An intentional proclamation of what another truly means to those about them.

Sorry, getting a little windy out here.

So last night, at our pizza gathering for the basketball season, a young man literally ran across the gym and just about bent me in half with a jumping bear hug. I work with him twice a week as it is and we make things happen together. But he hugged me yesterday like he hadn’t seen me for years. Just because. No words were involved, but that was a compliment I will not soon forget.

Years ago, a pillar of youth sports in our community thought I should hop on board and help steer the football program for the families here. His faith in me and who he saw from afar complimented the person I was desperately searching to find. His compliment changed my life. And to this day, I remain a coach.

A young man asked that I might come to speak to his team in the hopes that they would figure out how to grow closer together in intention, trust, faith and fellowship. I am still giddy about that night and how I still feel about becoming a part of them.

And when she can, my best friend and partner employs her gift of creation to make the best recipes that are good for me for all of the right reasons. Just because.

Others around me just reach out because they have a spot open on their boat. And the circular journey they are on may be a perpetual revisitation to the shores of Depair, Worthlessness, Emptiness and Isolation. A trip I took. Places I know all too well. Destinations they do not deserve if I can help it.

Had I been able to see compliments in this fashion before, I would have taken them more to heart.

Having teammates that wanted me to be their captain, twice.

A business owner picking me out of the blue, literally off the street to represent his company.

A fellowship asking me to help lead.

Being able to have you read my thoughts.

And of late, finally hearing His voice tell me I am worthy and calling me to come aboard.

A compliment isn’t so much “hey, did you lose weight?” Or, “you look good in that car.”

I am coming to realize that they consist of very few or absolutely no words. They are gifts another gives you because you are truly worth it in their heart, mind and soul. They value the genuine connection that exists so they share themselves with you. They see who you truly are, even if you are blind to that view.

They want you in their boat. Or are more than happy to come aboard yours and pick up the one next to you.

Who ever thought wanting to row with another was such a fulfilling compliment.

I sure didn’t.

.

Awake.

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“I cannot be awake, for nothing looks to me as it did before, or else I am awake for the first time, and all before has been a mean sleep.”

― Walt Whitman

Well put Mr. Whitman. 

Especially that state  you describe as “a mean sleep.”

I believe that we all tend to share a common bunk at one time or another in our lives.  Where we only see life from one side.  Tearing ourselves down but neglecting  to enjoin in a rebuilding process.  Hearing only the negative, construing honest interactions as disparaging, disregarding the  true affirmations born of love and tucking away all of what we are made to be so we can  return back to our mean sleep.  

Though it entirely contradicts common sense, there is this misperception of comfort to be found under that stifling blanket, albeit unhealthy.  Covered by bad habits, we choose to remain.  It is known territory.  Nothing comes unexpected.  We convince ourselves it is all as it should be.  Because simply “it is what it is.”

Well there is another side of that bed.  

Might appear to be cold and dark at first glance.  But if we give it a chance,  we  will sense  a warm and inviting light over there.  Perhaps our  eyes, ears, head and heart need to get used to the difference present in that glow.  But  when we roll over and  throw off those stifling covers, we  begin to hear things in another voice. 

Through the light finally penetrating the glass, we can now perceive  it as  becoming half full. Glimmers of positivity radiate within conversations.  Others’ shared expressions of what they see in us bathe us in a warmth we  have longed to know for what seemed an eternity. And as our focus sharpens, that figure now facing us  is the one we have always known ourselves  to be.  

Though nothing may look to us like it ever did before, there can be  a first time for everything.  In a way, that is how an epiphany works.  

And finally being awake like this, for the first time,  brings us great rest, peace and joy.

For nothing looks like it did before.