Saturday, April 20, 2013

Mindfulness

I had an epiphany today.

I've been having knee trouble for about the past two years.  They get better, they get worse, etc., etc.

Two days ago, I was dancing and got a little too rambunctious for my knees, and something "popped."  Then I felt something akin to ripping in my calf.  Oy vey.

And just the day before, I was marveling at how well I was walking - no pain, no limp - normal....

Here I was again, back at square one.

I was watching myself walk very guardedly with every step, not knowing whether my knee would "pop" again, sending pain sharp enough to make me utter curse words.

Epiphany:  it struck me that instead of looking at this latest development as a setback, I could view it as an exercise in mindfulness.  I'm usually rushing around thinking of the next thing I'm going to do.  I don't know whether that comes from being a New Yorker or a Type A or a first born, but it's been my pattern for a very long time.  This knee pain could be my signal to live in the moment.  That's something I've not cultivated all that much.

OK.  I will be mindful of what I am doing and feeling right here and now and not go racing forward, ignoring what's happening at present.

Let's see how long I can be mindful of this...

No comments:

Post a Comment