my obedient body

Gretchen Rubin, fellow blogger and writer of bestselling blook The Happiness Project, talks about cherishing her ‘obedient body’.

I love this.

Maybe you have had someone you love get sick- really sick- and never properly recover and you run  from them after your visit, as I have, they in their wheelchair back there and me on strong legs, marvelling at my obedient body.  It works. My goodness, it works like a dream.

And maybe you have  been afraid, so afraid,  of a diagnosis, a lump, a blood test, a set of confusing symptoms? During that time you fantasize about pure and simple wellness- not wealth, not beauty, not fame, not dinner, not pretty shoes, not love. Just health.

You picture that simple morning coffee, fret and frenzy free. You imagine that you would embrace a garbage strike in a  summer heat wave, a long commute in a nasty snow storm, an unexpectedly fat Rogers bill, a criticism from a loved one, a dirty kitchen, a basement flood, a huge workload, with so much tenderness and love and giddyness, if you could just be well again.

You hear yourself say outloud “I promise to never take it for granted if you just make sure I am okay”

And then the stars are with you and you are okay, in perfect health actually, and you slide back into taking it for granted.

What if you could start this year loving and taking care of your obedient body – that does everything so perfectly and so beautifully- no matter how poorly you treat it?

Hold onto your seat- I am giving up sugar for the month of January as a thank you to my health. If you know me you know this is not easy. Be nice to me- even if I growl.

And, if you must, you may comment on my obedient body.

We have a new year’s tradition that we also do labour day as it is the other new year’s – click here to read about it and the magic around it and try it- you will love it

working hands

I remember reading once about a woman who said she loved to look down at her own hands and see the beautiful manicure, that it made her feel that everything was right in the world, even if it was not.

I love to look down at my hands and see the paint and the glue and the dye. I like to think about where they have been all day and what they have done. I love to feel useful and that I have been involved in something creative.

what is on your preference card? click here to read about what is on mine-besides working hands- and PLEASE tell me what is on yours