You always have a one-liner of wisdom that is a keeper for me. Here it is from this article:
"Nature and our bodies have a way of bitch-slapping us into next Thursday and saying NOT BLOODY NOW. Learning how to do just that with a sense of humor, with the patience of a sage (doesn’t come easily) is part of sage-ing."
That Sage part of us, the wisdom that is deep within, knows how to keep the saboteurs as bay. Our ability to self-sabotage through impatience and the fear of losing our identity can only be mastered with sage wisdom ... and we grow into that.
Many thanks. You have a talent for words, too, Nurit. I am about to head out tomorrow for eight days to get OUT of my house while the ceiling is being spray painted. I hope for the best.....
Yep. I lifted a Tupperware trunk full of Christmas decorations up and over a piece of glass in front of it. Too lazy to move the glass out of the way. And managed to re-injure a torn rotator cuff from eleven years ago. I'm 61. I haven't been able to do my kettle bell and arm resistance training in a MONTH. I think it's getting better. Just like you said, I made it worse by trying to do pushups the next day. BUT I have a pool in my back yard. Thanks for the steer. Of course, it's winter now, but spring approaches!
Oh yes we do, although I have met people who seem to have found ways to let go without the fight. I've done much better with that these last few years as the medical issues and complications have demanded a level of patience and acceptance I didn't know I had. I don't have to like it. But despite my best efforts I'm getting better at it.
This post really resonates! I took pride in my fitness and was very frustrated when I tore my ACL and underwent 8 months of rehab. My mantra became the quote from Marcus Aurelius-
"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."
Just a couple of days after the injury I began working on pull ups and ring dips. I am forever changed by the injury in some ways, but much stronger now in others!
I like how you tied these experiences to identity. I have much to learn there!
I love this, Erik. When I broke my back in eight places after a horse threw me in Kazakhstan in 2017, I focused a lot harder on stretching. Now I am more limber than ever, while standing can straighten my knees and press my face right into them. We never know how an injury is going to invite us to become better versions of ourselves.
Yeah. Right about the time your campsite is all settled in and all of a sudden a thunderstorm causes the nearby stream to overflow, your car won't start, your tent floats away downstream, and well. Yeah. Right about thing you're thinking damn this is going to make a great story!
I was in a campground in South Island New Zealand back in the '80s when I woke up to floating on my Thermarest on three inches of water. I had to run to the community hall, thank god it was Sunday, and I ripped off all the Sunday papers and soaked up the water. I had a down bag that just got wet on the outsides but took days to dry out because the humidity was nearly 100%. You just gotta laugh.
Yep! I was camping in a Backcountry location on Cumberland Island in the Georgia coast years ago. Left the vestibule of my tent open and it stormed while I was hiking around. Too far to walk back to civilization. It was a wet night, but at least it was warm! Good times!
You always have a one-liner of wisdom that is a keeper for me. Here it is from this article:
"Nature and our bodies have a way of bitch-slapping us into next Thursday and saying NOT BLOODY NOW. Learning how to do just that with a sense of humor, with the patience of a sage (doesn’t come easily) is part of sage-ing."
That Sage part of us, the wisdom that is deep within, knows how to keep the saboteurs as bay. Our ability to self-sabotage through impatience and the fear of losing our identity can only be mastered with sage wisdom ... and we grow into that.
Many thanks. You have a talent for words, too, Nurit. I am about to head out tomorrow for eight days to get OUT of my house while the ceiling is being spray painted. I hope for the best.....
I liked that line too!
Every so often my muse has a field day with my mouth through my fingers.
Yep. I lifted a Tupperware trunk full of Christmas decorations up and over a piece of glass in front of it. Too lazy to move the glass out of the way. And managed to re-injure a torn rotator cuff from eleven years ago. I'm 61. I haven't been able to do my kettle bell and arm resistance training in a MONTH. I think it's getting better. Just like you said, I made it worse by trying to do pushups the next day. BUT I have a pool in my back yard. Thanks for the steer. Of course, it's winter now, but spring approaches!
I understand better than I'd like to admit! We do heal, if we mind the food and keep moving. The body sure has some lively conversations with us.
Well, I needed to hear this. So thank you, Julia. ❤️
Don't we all struggle with letting go and moving on? Honestly, I think that's the main point of learning to accept aging — and still love life.
Oh yes we do, although I have met people who seem to have found ways to let go without the fight. I've done much better with that these last few years as the medical issues and complications have demanded a level of patience and acceptance I didn't know I had. I don't have to like it. But despite my best efforts I'm getting better at it.
Yes indeed, remembering we don't have to like it is key :-)
YES!
This post really resonates! I took pride in my fitness and was very frustrated when I tore my ACL and underwent 8 months of rehab. My mantra became the quote from Marcus Aurelius-
"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."
Just a couple of days after the injury I began working on pull ups and ring dips. I am forever changed by the injury in some ways, but much stronger now in others!
I like how you tied these experiences to identity. I have much to learn there!
I love this, Erik. When I broke my back in eight places after a horse threw me in Kazakhstan in 2017, I focused a lot harder on stretching. Now I am more limber than ever, while standing can straighten my knees and press my face right into them. We never know how an injury is going to invite us to become better versions of ourselves.
Amor fati- love your fate. It's just so hard to do in the moment! 🤣
Yeah. Right about the time your campsite is all settled in and all of a sudden a thunderstorm causes the nearby stream to overflow, your car won't start, your tent floats away downstream, and well. Yeah. Right about thing you're thinking damn this is going to make a great story!
Hahaha! So true!
I was in a campground in South Island New Zealand back in the '80s when I woke up to floating on my Thermarest on three inches of water. I had to run to the community hall, thank god it was Sunday, and I ripped off all the Sunday papers and soaked up the water. I had a down bag that just got wet on the outsides but took days to dry out because the humidity was nearly 100%. You just gotta laugh.
Yep! I was camping in a Backcountry location on Cumberland Island in the Georgia coast years ago. Left the vestibule of my tent open and it stormed while I was hiking around. Too far to walk back to civilization. It was a wet night, but at least it was warm! Good times!