I don’t know what to write about for this week. In spite of the positive stuff happening in my life – the “I can” stuff – today I feel less than enthusiastic. I’ve been sick with a virus since last Thursday. This cold, or flu, or whatever it is, has prevented me from participating in my regular things and one special thing. The required isolation has kept me from interacting with people. I had to cancel getting together with a friend, going to a long-awaited concert, meeting up with our regular Saturday night friends, going to church, and I had to stay home today instead of going to the coffee shop.
Down time. It is uncomfortable to sit around and do nothing . . . or not doing what I had planned. Inactivity seems wrong or bad or wasteful or something, but doctors tell us that resting is part of the healing process. So I am doing something. I am doing exactly what doctors tell us to do.
There has been a lot of time to think although it has been hard to stay focused some of the time due to the coughing, headache, fever, and fatigue. I set attainable goals each day: read a little, write some, read some more, and take a nap before my family gets home. I have managed to prepare dinner and do some laundry.
Not very creative. Just doing the minimum. But doing exactly what the doctor ordered. I’m okay with that. I am not always tolerant with myself when I’m doing “nothing.” I’m afraid this “laying around” will become a habit and the good habits I’m trying to develop or maintain will not survive. It happened before. Many times when I get “off-schedule,” it is hard to get back on track. With my new “I can” philosophy I can recognize the potential hazard and plan for it. One thing I’m doing as I begin to feel better is adding some (feeling) ALIVE activities back into my routine, one at a time. The goal is to be doing all the ALIVE things and working on some of the THRIVE things by the time I am “well” again.
Today I can accept this down time as a chance to heal, rest, think, and trust God. Today I can feel good about taking care of myself. I can feel at peace knowing I’m doing just what the doctors order.
1 comment:
I can so relate Mary to your sharing this time, I now know that to do nothing is doing something when were sick. I used to have a hard time sitting still and taking care of myself. I thank God He has shown me how to rest & take care of myself and still be ok.
Thanks for sharing, Diane.
Post a Comment