Health and wholeness are such magnificent gifts–gifts we usually take for granted until we lose them!
I love to watch the Olympics. Though I prefer winter sports, I’m really enjoying the gymnastics, aquatics, equestrian and fencing competitions this summer.
With the camera’s ability to zoom-in on the athletes’ faces and eyes, the mind-body connection is so apparent. Talk about focus, self-mastery, and self control! They have it all.
Can a healthy, disciplined mind exist independently from a healthy, disciplined body? While there do exist rare geniuses who are confined, due to physical impairments, to limited physical activity or wheelchairs, I thinks these must be rare exceptions, indeed.
Since moving to Virginia Beach, the seasonal allergies I’ve dealt with most of my life have become acute and evolved into “allergic asthma.” Due to the looooong, scorching, humid summers; many varieties of molds; and vast array of ever-pollinating vegetation, those of us with breathing problems never get to enjoy the “down time” that gives our bodies a rest.
As a result, I’m now taking steroidal medications just to be able to breathe. Even my cat has developed asthma! I also need to spend more time indoors and less time getting the healthy, outdoor exercise I’ve always enjoyed in the past. And, man, has this life-style change affected my general mood and energy level! It has also affected my brain. I’m finding my ability to focus & concentrate diminished and my sharpness & creativity blunted.
Needless to say, I’m counting the days until we can recoup the value in our house, supplement our retirement income with social security, and move to a crisp, clean, healthy climate (with not state taxes!)–hopefully, the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
In the meantime, I’ll have to “remember the days” and live vicariously through the tightly toned bodies, high energy level, and sharp-as-tacks minds of the young Olympians. How fortunate we are to be able to enjoy such body-mind harmony, strength, and brilliance–even if it is only in our imagination and from the too soft comfort of our couch.
