Tag Archives: Health

Health, Writing

A Year Has Passed

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-sitting-on-the-couch-wiping-her-sweat-with-tissue-7195033/

It has been a year to the day since my last post and I am in a very different place emotionally. Last year, I was much more hopeful and excited about healing, beginning a new school year, finishing my Master’s, and the restful summer I had experienced. Today, I am tired…tired of the Texas heat, tired of dealing with the nonsense required in the teaching field, tired of living paycheck to paycheck, tired of being unable to afford the medical care I need to be healthy and thrive, tired of not having the time or energy to write.

I have decided that I do not like the road I am traveling and need to make some changes. I have wished and dreamed of making change but kept my focus on priorities that are not in line with the reality of the new adventures I want to pursue. I hereby declare that I am no longer putting energy into goals that line up with my previous pursuits. I am going to do what is required of me day to day to meet my obligations, but I am going to reserve the purist, most energetic, liveliest parts of myself for my creative pursuits and begin in earnest to create the reality I yearn for.

All I know is that I want to work remotely, write, be creative, and make enough money to be comfortable and pay for my medical needs. I’m putting it out there and beginning my journey. I’m tired of being tired.

Fiction, Health, Writing

Last Day of Summer Break

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(Photo by David Mao on Unsplash)

I have had a wonderful summer of healing from hip replacement surgery, finishing my Master’s degree in English and Creative Writing, taking long restful naps, and sipping tea while I immerse myself in story.

Tomorrow I return to work sharing my passion for the written word with others as an English Literary Arts and Reading teacher to secondary students (grades 6-12.) My goal this school year is to foster a classroom that encourages both reading and writing as methods of discovery, escape, healing, and growth. Whether the students decide to join me on this journey is another story. I will share weekly moments of triumph and failure as the year unfolds. This will be my 23rd year in education, but my first year of approaching the subject matter in this way. I am excited about the opportunity to try something new.

Wish my students and me luck! It should be quite the adventure.

Health, Writing

Celebrations!

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Photo by Zoran Nikolic from FreeImages

I am happy to announce that great progress has been made in the last year. I have earned my Master’s Degree in English and Creative Writing, my grandchildren have been reunited with their parents, I finally had hip surgery, and I made it through the year teaching despite COVID. It has been a wild ride, but things are looking up. I see the glimmers of feeling better and stronger on the horizon. I am certainly more confident about my passion for writing and my commitment to making a career for myself in the literary field. 

Here’s to constant improvement, even if it looks like barely any progress is being made. It is okay to tiptoe out of comfort zones, take teeny tiny baby steps toward goals, and spend tons of time researching options before picking the next right thing. This journey is not a race.

Health, Writing

Home for Health

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(Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axiosa)

My grandchildren and I have settled into a nice routine over the last few weeks.  We get up early to eat and play, do homeschool and play some more.  The weather has been either rainy or cool for the most part, so outside time can occur whenever they like.  They play on the porch when it rains.  The only weather we cannot tolerate is hot.  Living in Texas ensures that the outdoors are inaccessible at least 3 months out of the year.

I have begun my master’s degree in Creative Writing and am enjoying the topics of discussion thus far.  We are studying the way new words get added to our vocabulary.  Some I think are of note are Rona for Coronavirus, skurt for go, and beat for applying makeup.  I find the evolution of language fascinating.  I am always interested in how words come about and why certain ones stick. I’m sure these are familiar to some, but I had never heard them until this year.

Teaching my actual students from home has gone great so far.  I have only been asked to send little amounts of work on paper up until now.  Beginning next week, I will teach some Zoom lessons…at least we are going to experiment with it!  We shall see how it goes.

Another exciting leap I took was joining an online meditation/writing group.  I love it!  After meditating and relaxing, my writing flows so much better and I am getting back to my craft.  I recommend writing and sharing with others once in a while.  It is very motivating!

Health, Writing

Waking up from discouragement…

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My last post was in October.  I reported that I had not written since authority figures in my life slammed me with judgment, censorship, and criticism…not only of my writing, but my discernment as a human being and professional.

Now my job is in jeopardy–not connected to my writing, politics above my station.  I am working from home due to the coronavirus and quarantine and all that bizarreness that is occurring in this world right now.

I have also taken in grandchildren temporarily while adult children fix their worlds.  I’ve had a winter of sickness and slow recovery.  I’ve battled a time of sadness.  And I’ve applied to begin working on my master’s degree.  Big things are happening.

And all I want to do is write…and read…and write some more.  Enough pouting, sulking, brooding, etc.  It is time to get back to finding my joy.  I cannot be derailed by others whose opinions I don’t even value anyway.  It has certainly not been a conscious decision to take a sabbatical from writing, but that is what has occurred.  And it has not been good for me.

Here and now, I resolve to get back to writing.  I declare this time of non-writing ended.   Rebekah the writer is back.

Health, Writing

Whole30

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Photo by Buenosia Carol from Pexels

This is not a picture of the beautiful salad I made for dinner last night, but is actually almost identical.  I am not hungry when I eat really healthy like this.  I am also not super preoccupied with food.  I have my snacks ready like fruit, nuts, carrots, and boiled eggs.  I add some avacado to my dishes.  That makes me feel full.  It really is going easier than I imagined.  So far, so good.

On Whole30, I am not supposed to step on a scale for 30 days.  I really want to, though, to see if I’ve lost some.  My clothes feel a little looser and I have a tiny bit more energy.  The pain level is still high, but I think getting in and out of bed was a little less horrible last night.  It might be the placebo affect, but eating healthy can’t hurt!

I will be sure to post again at the end of the 30 days to report my progress.  So far, I recommend trying it.  At least I feel good about myself and know that what I am eating is healthy.

Health, Writing

Swimming

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Today was my first day back to swimming after a lapse. I used to be able to swim a mile in one go. Today I only did 6 laps .09 miles. I guess I have to start somewhere. By the end of the summer, I want to be able to swim a mile straight again!

My system is to alternate arm laps and leg laps. And I meditate on one word/concept per lap. Today, my meditation mantras were:

Love

Joy

Peace

Health/Wellness/Well/Whole

God

Enough/Plenty/Abundance

Health, Poetry, Writing

Medication Experiment

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I am taking medication

to relieve pain.

It is an experiment.

Does it help?

Am I better?

All I know is that

my mind is free to

feel joy:

for my best friend’s

IRS windfall,

my husband

on his way home,

our dog

not escaped,

the tea pot

boiling,

another episode of House

cued up,

my bed

waiting for me.

These are not new,

but my ability to

appreciate them is.

My pleasure is sincere.

The pain is still there.

I am not cured.

No marathons are in my future.

But there is a tiny space,

a slight cushion of awareness,

a sliver of hope that wasn’t

present before.

Like the absence of

intensity has given breathing room,

possibility of expansion,

a moment of focus on something

other than merely coping.

The pain is not gone,

but neither is my mind.

 

RJMarshall 6/2/16

Health, Writing

Time For Tea – (Day 24)

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Today’s assignment was to ask someone out for coffee and then write about it.

I’m not a coffee drinker, but tea is right up my alley.  I found myself with some free time in the middle of the day, a rarity.  I asked my best friend Erica if she would like to get together and suggested either Cheesecake Factory or The Steeping Room.  My only hesitation on The Steeping Room was the need for a reservation, which also meant committing to a time schedule (which could fall through depending on many factors – mostly her busy workday and dealing with twin three-year-olds.)  She preferred The Steeping Room due to dietary gluten-free concerns and made the reservation for us.  She also offered to drive.  Apparently, she always gets “glutened” as she calls it when she goes to the Cheesecake Factory, despite the fact that they have a gluten-free menu and gluten-free options.

We talked about my pain level, marriage to my sweet husband, photography (her passion right now), her boys, our exes, my kids, my granddaughter, and my writing course I was finishing up.  She ordered Mexican Hot Chocolate with some alternative milk and a gluten-free grilled cheese sandwich that she adores.  I got Hibiscus Iced Tea and the Buddha Bowl – a hodgepodge of sweet potato, beans, chicken, greens of the day, grains of the day, and a delicious cashew dressing.  I crave it in between chances to eat there.

We bemoaned our fatness, talked about what has worked lately to sate appetite and manage cravings, reminisced about the good ol’ days when it was easier to lose weight and move…

Mostly, we just caught up on life and enjoyed some stolen moments in the middle of the day without children, grandchildren, work, or obligations.  It was a lovely time and will hopefully be repeated many more times in the future.

Health, Writing

Hoarding – (Day 22)

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Today’s topic is to consider what I might be hoarding that I need to get rid of or share with others:

  1. My writing – I need to get my poetry and books out there to share with others.
  2. Clothes, furniture, blankets, miscellaneous junk in my garage – All of that could go to a thrift store so someone else can enjoy it.
  3. Excess weight – It is not benefiting anyone in any way.
  4. Guilt, Shame, Worry – That is detrimental and needs to be managed or disposed of.
  5. Pain – It needs to be gone.

That is all I can think of right now that I may be hoarding.