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Monday Musings – Muscles, Meditation, and a Hot Mess

 

My mornings consist of meditation with a side of coffee. I sit criss cross apple sauce (legs crossed) on a cushion on the floor. You may think I’m bragging because I’m over the age of fifty and can still cross my legs. My secret is that uncrossing my legs is sometimes a theatrical production that involves rocking, stretching, and twisting. I have even ended up in a Downward Dog yoga pose to help me untangle. But I digress. Back to the story…

I woke up excited for a new day, a day of accomplishments. My goal was to kick off my week strong with meditation then a 30-minute workout. I opened my laptop and clicked on my favorite meditation app. As I lifted my head I felt a slight pull in my neck. My forehead creased as I scrunched my eyes in thought – did I just pull a neck muscle?

I tilted my head like a dog does when listening for a sound. A burst of pain traveled from the back of my neck around to the top of my left shoulder. It was official, I pulled a muscle doing absolutely nothing. It became clear to me why people say, getting old is not for the faint of heart.”

There I sat on my bedroom floor contemplating my next move – go ahead and meditate or get up and medicate? Before I could decide, I felt heat rising in my body; It was a hot flash, brought on by the coffee I sipped on just before attempting to meditate. Yes, caffeine can trigger hot flashes.

At that point I was hot, sweaty, experiencing discomfort, and had not begun to exercise. I tried to take a few deep breaths to relax, but even that made my neck hurt. I was a hot mess. Feeling like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I leaned to one side and peeled my legs from the floor, one vertebra at a time.

Although my neck muscle decided to do its own thing, I was glad my leg muscles stood firm in their role. They got me from the floor to the shower without any crazy episodes. I let the hot shower water gently pound my neck and shoulder for longer than my usual shower takes, but it felt good.

I refused to let that muscle spasm, tweak, or whatever you want to call it, derail my day. I made it to work, then called my mommy to bring me an Icy Hot patch. That was one day I was glad I didn’t have any meetings, because I was walking around smelling like menthol.

And the moral of the story…persevere. You can do it. Side note...meditation is not for the faint of heart.

What situation have you had to persevere through recently?

 

Monday Musings – Lost in Space

 

There was a popular TV show in the 1960’s called Lost in Space. After an expedition had gone wrong, the characters were always trying to find their way home, amidst challenges thrown in their path.

I was lost in space the morning I took my glasses off…and couldn’t find them. Lucky for me I knew the blueprint of my bedroom in the dark. As far as I had gotten was from the bed to the bathroom, which is comparable to…

I pulled my glasses off to look at my phone up close and got caught in the vortex of scrolling through social media, then poof. I realized I didn’t have my glasses on, but they were nowhere to be found. My recourse was to wander through the jungle of my bedroom. It felt like Jurassic Park opened. The army of stuffed animals on my dresser looked like enemies preparing to attack.

Moving around the room like Velma from Scooby Doo (without her glasses), I extended my arms in front of me, feeling around the dresser and other spaces for the glasses. My biggest fear was that I had set them on a pillow where I might accidentally crush them. Then the light bulb came on literally and figuratively speaking.

Photo Credit: Tumblr

I remembered my second pair of glasses were in my purse. I had put them there the day before because I wanted to change my look. I put on my spare glasses and continued my search…without success. I sat down to draft this story, and thirty minutes later, I remembered another place I hadn’t checked, and that’s where I found them…in the linen closet.

My spectacles were sitting on top of a stack of folded towels, awaiting my return. I had taken them off to read the small print on a medicine bottle.

It’s so easy to become preoccupied with something that we are oblivious to things happening around us. After finding my glasses I put both pairs in their cases, put them on the dresser, and took ten minutes to meditate. I needed a reset for my morning.

After my meditation, I was no longer lost in space, I was ready for the day.

Have you ever become so consumed with something you’re doing that you are not present with what is happening around you? Don’t become lost in space. It’s okay to be focused but also be alert, be aware.

Share a funny episode that has happened to you.