1st Day of Christmas

When I was young I'd count up my coins and try to figure out what gifts I could buy. Our elementary school often had a Santa Shop where you could find cheap treasures to wrap for siblings and parents. That's where Laneea and I bought coin purses for each other with little oblong beads on them. I would ask my Dad what he would like and always dreaded his answers. He'd say, "you don't need to get me anything. Just don't fight with each other." or "I just want for everyone to be happy." Why couldn't he just say a red striped tie or a big bag of black licorice?? It would really be nice if he just said that he wanted a new set of decorative erasers for his pencils or a bouncy ball because the shop had plenty of those. If my kids asked me what I wanted for them to give to me, I would say "some peace. NO fighting." or "some order. NO leaving junk all over."

When I ask myself what I really want, the quick answer is a huge camera upgrade with a dynamic lens. The lingering answer is that I want to feel well. I want my body to stop hurting me and help me thrive throughout my day. I want the gift of health.

The gift of health isn't one that shows up in a well shaped box. It's not one that has to cost a lot of money. It's one that you have to give to yourself a little bit each day. Experience tells me that nobody is going to take care of me (with the exceptions of random gestures by Jon to make me eat lunch or to rub my shoulders). I have to prepare and eat nourishing foods. I have to put myself to bed early enough to get the sleep I need before my early birds wake. And I have do the exercise. It's a gift that I need. It's a gift that my family needs me to have.

So I'm giving 12 Days of Healthy Christmas to me.

On the First Day of Healthy Christmas, the Gift I Gave to Me:

Return to Bally's after a two week absence. Interval train on the elliptical machine. Step, lift, squat, crunch, twist, and stretch in assorted ways to remind my body how to move. Already feeling the extreme tension headache.