I have returned to home base, after a visit home (intentional repetition of "home") with my parents who raised us in a home in another country and my brother and his beloved whose home is in two more countries. Home, home, home, home, home.
There's a meditation in that one, but for now, I am in catch-up mode at the office and in continuing mode with the stack of term papers. Church projects await as well - and the gym, to which I have sworn to return this week after an absence of weeks and weeks; most of the semester, truth be told. Not good. I am joining
my buddy Paul in hauling my middle-aged arse back to the land of workouts. I've been walking and doing a bit of yoga all semester, but not enough of either. Ever since
the tree fell the second week of an already packed semester, my life has been one long sleep-deprived term with less exercise than I have ever had in my adult life. Having to make choices between work and sleep, or sleep and exercise, or exercise and work, is not a healthy way of living. In Advent and as the academic semester ends, I am trying to restore the balance.
I have returned to home base, after a visit home (intentional repetition of "home") with my parents who raised us in a home in another country and my brother and his beloved whose home is in two more countries. Home, home, home, home, home.
There's a meditation in that one, but for now, I am in catch-up mode at the office and in continuing mode with the stack of term papers. Church projects await as well - and the gym, to which I have sworn to return this week after an absence of weeks and weeks; most of the semester, truth be told. Not good. I am joining my buddy Paul in hauling my middle-aged arse back to the land of workouts. I've been walking and doing a bit of yoga all semester, but not enough of either. Ever since the tree fell the second week of an already packed semester, my life has been one long sleep-deprived term with less exercise than I have ever had in my adult life. Having to make choices between work and sleep, or sleep and exercise, or exercise and work, is not a healthy way of living. In Advent and as the academic semester ends, I am trying to restore the balance.
I hear the lament of imbalance. How do we fit things like exercise, relaxation, reflection into a schedule we either make for ourselves from a sense of duty, or have thrust upon us by the demands of our work? There is an accompanying loss of motivation to do anything to rearrange the schedule even if the priorities have to be what they are. Changing stuff takes a lot of motivation and work. Even scheduling leisure time becomes a job.
ReplyDeleteI started running 2 years ago because no matter how stupid I looked, I felt better. I have not run since the Insomnia Horror of June, when I ran like a madman at 2:30 AM, trying to induce a heart attack (there's one for you--suicide by exercise). That's when I gave up. My associations with running--my preferred exercise--now are unpleasant; and for all the mental yak in my head telling me to get out there again, I have no desire to get up at 6 AM when I don't need to. Laziness? Fear? Or just allowing myself to get old? In any event, if you can get back to the gym, a bi gezint.
Well, I did yesterday. We'll see about today and (more likely) tomorrow! Thanks for the good wishes. I know you understand.
ReplyDeleteThe craziness is mostly imposed from the outside (job etc.) and for a variety of reasons feels worse than ever this year. (There are specific reasons for this at work and at church, and the two house intrusions and move didn't help.) I am determined, as classes end, to rearrange my schedule to include exercise. I hope I can keep it up. I've had a bad attitude this semester and I really must stop blaming everything on outside circumstances even if they are a major part of the problem... I do have a modicum of personal choice and will left. Viktor Frankl and all that.
But first I have been climbing out of exhaustion and overload. (The latter will take more time.)
It ain't easy, is it. If it was, we would all be happy, wealthy, and in fabulous shape.
ReplyDeleteHugs.