So, I thought I would write an update on my health today and then discuss some of my thoughts regarding both maintaining and improving my health. As of right now: I can manage 45 minutes of continuous walking – usually about 30 minutes with a break and then 15 minutes more; I am practicing very basic yoga to rebuild my muscle stamina; I can function very well in the house now; I have been able to help Jennifer with Wyatt quite a bit more and be less of a burden to everyone; I drove the car for about a mile – a successful test drive that is leading me to more personal freedom.
I am happy to report that the activities of daily living are no longer an issue. These activities still need to be accounted for, in terms of the energy that they require to execute, but they don’t demand a significant rest period like they used to and overall, I am recuperating very well and seeing positive steps forward each day.
As I continue to improve like this, I am becoming more aware of my character and through personal analysis have realized a few important things. My former desire to move too quickly, to get ahead of myself and to not live “in the moment” nearly enough has become very apparent. After experiencing a small slide backwards two weeks ago, the lesson of slow and steady was really hammered home. I have been walking around the neighborhood every day and I find that I have missed so much of what is around us because I moved to quickly or was trying to do too many things at once. Concentrating on not over-committing is a big one. Staying present with whatever it is that I am doing at the time is a skill worth honing. I am learning to soak up the environments that I find myself in and to consciously stay aware more of the time. When I leave the house or the coffee shop, I take a moment to make sure that I have everything I need and try not to rush out the door as infrequently as possible. These small adjustments to my daily living have provided me with great lessons for stress management. In my situation, I can’t afford to forget things in the house and have to “run” back in to get them. I have learned that moving slow and with purpose is a terrific new metaphor for my life. Slow and with purpose.
These past eight weeks, as difficult as they have been, have been some of the best of my life. On the heels of the biggest storms you find the brightest rainbows.
JM
Jim, love to here you are progressing again. Your thinking about slow and steady and living in the moment are intriguing. I look forward to reading more. Bri
ReplyDeleteJim,
ReplyDeleteI love the quote at the end. It is so very true. We, here in Colorado Mammoth country, will miss you this next season and anxiously await your return!
Hey buddy,
ReplyDeleteExcellent post today. It is a lesson for everyone...slow down. The world is everywhere, but it is what is right in front of us that means and matters the most. The greatest influence we have on the world is in our immediate ripple.
Mate, you always have been an inspiration and you continue to be now, just as you will be 30 years from now. You live your life with purpose and it is what we love about your. But heed your own advice, because whether it is crawling, walking, jogging or running the world in front of us is worth slowing down to appreciate.
With ya,
ML