On the last Monday of each month, Lavender Luz at Write Mind Open Heart
sponsors Perfect Moment Monday, a blog hop/writing prompt that offers an opportunity to notice and reflect on
the "perfect moments" in our lives, rather than create them. These
moments can be ordinary, momentous, or somewhere in between. Everyone is welcome to join. ***
I went to kickboxing class today, for the first time in three weeks. I've been nursing my sprained ankle, impatient with my healing process, spending lots of time on the elliptical and in the weight room, working out where I couldn't do too much more damage to myself. It's my last week at the Y, before we head off to the Cape for a few days, and then our lives change, and I've been determined to do this, one last time. Because who knows when I might be able to find time again?
I started off gently, gingerly, a little worried about re-injuring myself a third time. I was wearing my air brace, but I knew that wouldn't make me bulletproof, and I could feel my foot making contact with the floor, knowing that this was its first impact test. As the music began to build, I took a deep breath, and leapt forward. And this was what was playing.
You're surprised, aren't you? Maybe I don't seem like the Lady Gaga type. But there is nothing quite like listening to this song*, looking yourself in the eye in the mirror, sizing up your well-wrapped hands, and throwing a double punch and a roundhouse kick at an imaginary opponent, to make you feel powerful. (Except possibly throwing a perfect double punch and a roundhouse kick at a real opponent. But they don't let us do that at the Y.)
I have been thinking a lot about this next chapter in my life, thinking about the transition, wondering how long it will take to find balance again, wondering if I've made the right choice, hoping that they made the right choice, too. Worried about getting home in time to pick up my kids on the days when my husband can't. Worried about the stupid things like "how am I going to find time to kickbox and run and do yoga?" I have tried to stack the deck in my favor by cramming as many Perfect Moments as I can into these last few weeks with my children: pool parties, balloon launches, train rides, picnics, carousel rides, ice cream. But the most important Perfect Moment for me this month was probably this one: kicking virtual ass with the community who has (unbeknownst to many of them, I'm sure) been my back-up for the past two years, and reassuring myself: "I'm on the right track baby, I was born this way. ... Don't be a drag, just be a queen."
Deep breath: Bring it.
*And BONUS! The song fits right in with the NaBloPoMo theme of Roots!
Wait a second....I don't remember composing this post. Except for the actually having the ducks in a row, the same worries are my worries.
ReplyDeleteI can feel the power of your kickboxing body as it grooves to this song!
I know THEY made the right choice.
I thought I'd share my perfect moment Sunday.... Compared to most people, I'm a solid type A. But compared to J., I'm well down into the B range. I do savor the occasional extremely lazy moment. This was one of those, but with extras. Perhaps less a moment than the space in between moments.
ReplyDeleteSo there I was, sitting in the comfy Adirondack chair on our front porch. It was slightly too hot and slightly too humid to be outside. But if you sat perfectly still (I was) and the breeze picked up a little (it did), it was quite peaceful being in the pseudo-outside.
I. came out, and in a matter of minutes, in his creative industrious way, wheeled up the wagon and made a bench out of it, fetched his ukulele, and started strumming his own style of music. No melody, no rhythm, no words, but somehow all reasonably in tune and fitting together in his own special way. I daresay there was even a tropical ukulele flavor to it.
Fast forward one more minute, and N. comes out to the porch to join us. I. fixes her own mini-Adirondack chair next to us. She grabs some bubbles and sits down quietly and begins to blow the occasional bubble while I. resumes strumming.
I sit back and close my eyes, perfectly still, listening to I. play and N. blow. So relaxing, and somehow reassuring -- Two great kids, peaceful, everyone enjoying the do-nothing moment in their own way.
-S.
Will be fine. Will be fine. Will be fine.
ReplyDeleteYes! Yes! Bring it, honey. Bring it! And you will be fine. One moment at a time, it will all be fine. And I love that song by the way. It's great to run to!
ReplyDeleteLove. that. song. Love how you can kick butt and take names, even while injured!
ReplyDeleteEverything will be fine. Take that one moment at a time. : )
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Scanning your recent posts to see what major upcoming change I missed. Sending you good thoughts and wishes in the meantime. Everything will be okay in the end; if it's not okay, it's not the end. Jennie
ReplyDelete