08/08/2025
I appreciated this little sentiment the other day, gathered by the wind and laid to rest, nestled by this curb.
I thanked the stranger who wrote it for someone else, but today it was for me.
On that particular day, I was taking a very short test walk to my studio to see if I would have the strength to actually see clients. The answer was no, but the message of “keep going” made me smile and to think that I have so many, living and in spirit, watching over me.
Today, I still sit in my robe coughing; chest hurting; weak. It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve been sick. I went to the doc just to rule out pneumonia or something else but it appears that I just need to let this bug run its course. I have surrendered to its demanding, “Take care of yourself!”
You see sometimes, we can’t “keep going.” We must stop. Rest. Recover. Rehabilitate. Restore. Regenerate. I had felt it coming. I know my body. I had been pushing her so hard to try and “keep going” even though I could hear the alarms already sounding. I’ve always been like this. Since childhood, I’ve needed extra rest.
So, my body just shut it down for me. Prior to my system starting to hiss and steam and the pressure valves bursting, I had been facing a lot of difficult decisions and conversations. My heart knew what I needed to do but my body was holding on. On top of that, I was trying to care and support others who were needing extra help and I’m grateful that I could.
Right now, I grieve the losses. I am thankful for the learnings. I cannot take my health for granted. Life is beautiful, even through the pain. Keep going while you can but remember that it’s ok to stop and rest before your body makes you stop. I find it’s a bit easier in the long run.
