A few days ago, I had a visit with my doctor and he gave me some blood tests he does every few months. I don’t understand all of the test results even though I have looked them up on Mr. Google. This time was different because when he emailed the results he told me something I had not known. One of the results tells how well my heart is working.
A year ago, he said, this result was in the 400’s. Then it dropped into the 300’s. Now, he said, it is 166. The upper range for this result is 100 - I am 66 points away from being at the high end of normal results.
This is exciting because I now have physically verifiable proof that I am, indeed, improving the functioning of my heart. This means all the things I have been doing are working. It’s one thing to intuit something and it is something else to have it confirmed on the physical plane!
Now if we can just get the heart and soul of our nation back into normal range. But that is a different blog post, isn’t it?
Monday, June 25, 2018
Monday, June 18, 2018
What a difference a year makes
This past Saturday, I was the speaker at Ananda’s annual open house and Summer Solstice celebration. It was wonderful to spend time with friends I don’t see very often and it was poignant to think about my life a year ago.
I was scheduled to speak last year at the Ananda Open House. I was only a few months into the beginning of my health issues, couldn't breathe very well, was so weak I could barely walk ten yards, and had to cancel. I had never canceled a speaking engagement before and felt bad about it. Here I am a year later and totally able and willing to give the 15-minute talk to the hundred or so people who came out to enjoy the beautiful sunny June weather.
My symptoms are under control although the initial issue of the AFib still exists. My mobility issues, however, remain. I use a cane and it is difficult to walk very far, fast, or on uneven surfaces. I must walk slowly and I have to watch where I’m putting my feet so I don’t stumble and fall, especially on uneven surfaces. I’ve dealt with this since 2011.
It’s humbling and frustrating to use a cane (try sweeping or vacuuming using a cane). However, I am grateful that I can navigate fine, if slowly. Sometimes I think of the judgment I know some people have of those of us who have physical challenges - we must not be very good metaphysicians because our lives would be perfect if we were. And I listen to Carolyn Myss who tells people this attitude is hogwash. Life is chaos, she says, get used to it and live!
And I think of the spiritual teacher Ram Dass who is back to teaching and traveling after suffering a massive stroke and Swami Kriyananda, founder of Ananda, who had a myriad of health issues during his lifetime and didn’t let that slow him down at all. I think of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords who was shot, recovered and is back at work. I admire each of these people and draw on their sublime examples of people who don’t give up in the face of difficulties and challenges.
So, yes, what a difference a year makes. I am blessed to continue my work with New Spirit Journal, writing, teaching, mentoring, and learning how to offer video classes online through Udemy.com (commercial break: yesterday I released my second class called Tips for Teachers! Go to www.udemy.com/tips-for-teachers and put LETSTEACH in the coupon code to get the class for only $9.99. Commercial break over.).
We face a lot of challenges and opportunities in this lifetime without always knowing the why. I have reached the place of not needing to know why things happen because, truthfully, the why doesn’t matter. What does matter is how we handle what we’re given in life and being grateful for everything. We never know what beauty and love is tucked away inside the challenge. We just have to be open to receiving it while living to our highest potential as best we can.
I was scheduled to speak last year at the Ananda Open House. I was only a few months into the beginning of my health issues, couldn't breathe very well, was so weak I could barely walk ten yards, and had to cancel. I had never canceled a speaking engagement before and felt bad about it. Here I am a year later and totally able and willing to give the 15-minute talk to the hundred or so people who came out to enjoy the beautiful sunny June weather.
My symptoms are under control although the initial issue of the AFib still exists. My mobility issues, however, remain. I use a cane and it is difficult to walk very far, fast, or on uneven surfaces. I must walk slowly and I have to watch where I’m putting my feet so I don’t stumble and fall, especially on uneven surfaces. I’ve dealt with this since 2011.
It’s humbling and frustrating to use a cane (try sweeping or vacuuming using a cane). However, I am grateful that I can navigate fine, if slowly. Sometimes I think of the judgment I know some people have of those of us who have physical challenges - we must not be very good metaphysicians because our lives would be perfect if we were. And I listen to Carolyn Myss who tells people this attitude is hogwash. Life is chaos, she says, get used to it and live!
And I think of the spiritual teacher Ram Dass who is back to teaching and traveling after suffering a massive stroke and Swami Kriyananda, founder of Ananda, who had a myriad of health issues during his lifetime and didn’t let that slow him down at all. I think of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords who was shot, recovered and is back at work. I admire each of these people and draw on their sublime examples of people who don’t give up in the face of difficulties and challenges.
So, yes, what a difference a year makes. I am blessed to continue my work with New Spirit Journal, writing, teaching, mentoring, and learning how to offer video classes online through Udemy.com (commercial break: yesterday I released my second class called Tips for Teachers! Go to www.udemy.com/tips-for-teachers and put LETSTEACH in the coupon code to get the class for only $9.99. Commercial break over.).
We face a lot of challenges and opportunities in this lifetime without always knowing the why. I have reached the place of not needing to know why things happen because, truthfully, the why doesn’t matter. What does matter is how we handle what we’re given in life and being grateful for everything. We never know what beauty and love is tucked away inside the challenge. We just have to be open to receiving it while living to our highest potential as best we can.
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