My Body Is Not “Old” – it’s Well Enjoyed

I practice yoga and each day it seems I discover a new ache. Yoga helps to alleviate a lot of my run-of-the-mill aches, thank goodness. But once in a while this idea comes to me that I’m “getting old.” More and more people I see in public seem to be getting younger, too!

I’ve realized that age is relative and somewhat flexible. My body is pretty darn healthy, and I’m grateful. I have some arthritis in one pinkie from a surfing injury (mind you I’ve been surfing in the Pacific about 6 times, but it helps me feel adventurous to remember that it is a surfing injury!) – but generally speaking things still work pretty well. And there are folks younger than me that have sports injuries from high school and college.

So most of us, it seems to me, have bodies that are achey here or there for some reason. And rather than being angry at our body for not feeling “good,” maybe we can bring to mind and heart the many wonderful things we’ve gotten to experience with and because of our body.

In this way, maybe we can leave behind the word “old” and get in the habit of saying our body is “well enjoyed.”

PRACTICE: When feeling an ache, bring to mind and heart the things you’ve gotten to experience that may have led to that ache. Choose gratitude!