I walked into work very guarded. Calculating each step, I was careful not to make even the slightest wrong move. Sharp pain shot through my back every time I tried to bend, turn, or even get up and down from my chair. Everyone started asking what happened. Did I fall while I was hiking? Did I hurt myself doing yoga? Too much yardwork?
Nope.
I went to bed feeling great and woke up with a bad back. How in the world does that even happen? I understood when it hurt after I did a 12-mile hike with 47 sets of steps. It had already gotten to the point of ridiculous when my back would catch by doing something as mundane as getting a pizza out of the oven or reaching to grab a cup out of my car. But this? When does one start getting injured while they sleep? And why hadn’t anyone warned me that we will reach an age when our bodies say, ‘I’m not feeling it today’ for no reason whatsoever?
I wanted to stay in bed. I needed to rest it, I told myself. But wait – isn’t that what hurt it in the first place? What do you do then?
I feel like days such as this could be a turning point for a lot of us. The time when we mourn the loss of our youth and depression tells us to just give up on even trying to maintain a body that is physically fit. But I’m just not built that way. There is a rebellious side of me that fell in love with a boy in 6th grade because he caught the bathroom on fire trying to smoke cigarettes between class. That part of me wants to push ahead and test the limits of my strength just for spite.
So, maybe a few adjustments have to be made. Wall Pilates has taken the place of Zumba, but it’s helping to build core strength. Yes, I use a walking stick when I hike, but it’s a great place to tag the badges I’ve collected from exploring parks and making memories with family and good friends. And maybe I’ve had to upgrade to a firmer mattress, but… Well. No, that part just stinks. I loved my squishy mattress! But I can wake up in the morning, toss that CPAP tube to the side, and take a few more daily vitamins before I conquer another day. Perhaps I get started a little more slowly than before, but no matter how old I get, there will always be a part of me that sees a ‘DO NOT ENTER’ sign as a dare. I bet the boy from the 6th grade is sneaking a cigarette somewhere on the other side of it.
Have a blessed week, friends!
Denae Jones teaches middle school, and her writing has been in Chicken Soup for the Teacher’s Soul, and A Second Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul. She has authored the devotional journal Love, Joy, Peace, and co-authored Everyday Grace for Teens, and Everyday Grace for Mothers with Jennifer Geralds. Her most recent novel, But, Even Now is co-authored with Jennifer Thomas. All are available online and most places books are sold.
