Yesterday, my husband and I began our holiday decorating. Most years, from dawn until dusk, we reach and bend and stretch getting all those decorations brought down and put up around the house. All of these good exercise but, every year we'd decorate, I'd end up overdoing it and pulling or twisting something I shouldn't like my back or my knee or my neck. One Christmas in Arizona, when my husband was deployed, I pulled my back out while attempting to sit on the floor and open presents with our youngest son. I was fortunate that my brother had chosen that Christmas to visit us...because I was bedridden. One Christmas holiday here in Virginia, I twisted my back so bad, my husband had to take me to the doctor. I could not stand without his assistance. The worst part was we had about forty people on their way to our home. So, while he hosted a party downstairs, I lay in our bed drugged up on prescription pain killers. I was missing out on all the celebration. I was missing out on life. And it tore me apart.
Then everything changed. I began taking yoga classes, I started eating better, I lost weight, and suddenly when I did have the misfortune to injure myself...I healed more quickly, sometimes overnight. The healthier I became, the less my disabilities... disabled me. Living smarter, making better choices, I gained control of my life again. Sure, I wasn't miraculously healed but, I did feel better and I wasn't missing out any more. Winter's chill no longer meant inevitable pain.
Last year was first holiday season in years that I didn't get injured. At first, I was confused. You see, injury had become something I expected like a seasonal cold. Come to think of it, I rarely get those any more either.
This year I look forward to the holidays like never before. My whole family has been working out and eating better in 2011. Our friends have gotten into the whole healthy regimen. The world is spreading...
Hey, I just noticed...even our Christmas tree is skinny this year. How awesome is that?
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