As a person who values and lives in her mind, I have mistakenly taken my body for granted as simply the vehicle that moves me through life. I have not celebrated nor intentionally cared for my body. I know for some people who life in their body this may be impossible to understand. But I've spent my life identifying as a spiritual being with an intellect - my body was only required while I was living on planet earth. And yet, even as I type, this seems like such a strange way to look at my physical self.
One of the blessings of cancer is that I'm learning to give my body the long deserved loving care that it deserves. And, rather than creating a list of the things I'm going to do, I'm viewing the following as ways that I will be honoring my body while undergoing cancer treatment:
a) Move More - Most of the activities that I enjoy doing require sitting. And, because I find my work to be interesting I'm typically eager to get to my desk and begin my day. It isn't unusual for me to still be sitting in my desk chair hours later. During this season of healing I will commitment to moving more, including both aerobic and resistance activities.
b) Connect with My Feelings - I'm a master at compartmentalizing my feelings. I often do not express "how I feel" but "what I think". During this season of healing I will connect and express my feelings.
c) Remain Engaged with "Giving" Friends - Over the years, I have invested too much time with people who are "takers": the people who take but don't give back. While I have felt convicted that, as a Christian, it was important to love and support people who are hurting or needy it has not only drained me but become a way of keeping me from having to talk about myself or having time for my "giving" friends. During this season of healing I will connect with my "giving" friends who already are and will continue to be important in supporting my journey of healing and wholeness.
d) Leverage Cancer as a Catalyst for Change - As I have approached my 60th birthday I have been thinking about the next chapter of my life. It's been difficult to image because my work is satisfying and rewarding. I also have spent very little time cultivating interests outside of our family, entertaining at home, and travel. But the thought, "what's next?" has been rearing its head for the last 12-18 months. During this season of healing I will utilize this time as a catalyst for change and growth.