Spring 2022

I love springtime…renewal, rebirth… new intentions…. new direction. The sun is returning to the sky… we celebrate the balance and union between the light and dark cycles of the year on the 21st of March with the Vernal Equinox. These days around the equinox are perfect to reinvigorate balance in our own lives and to bring that peace of balance into ourselves. I just want to get outside in the sunshine and walk, and dig in the earth, to smell all of life re-awakening from winter….to open our lungs and breathe deeply. We sweep the cobwebs from our homes and our minds – we tend to do our “spring cleaning” this time of year……physically, mentally and emotionally … by changing the décor in our homes, by opening windows to allow a fresh breeze in and to look for that sense of peacefulness and calm in accomplishing all of this cleaning out….with renewed energy. We plant seeds to ensure that all of this vital energy is focused toward our future crops, creative projects and dreams. From now until Midsummer Solstice, the days will lengthen as the Sun returns, bringing with it that increased strength, warmth and vitality as we set new goals and new intentions for these longer days and shorter nights….. We feel the fertility in the growing period and we embrace it with our whole being.

As I am personally balancing the dark and the light of my own life, it would be fair to say, that these last few months have really been a struggle for me. I am not only trying to heal from this total knee replacement…. But deciding on a future that may have more limitations than I originally assumed. For those of you who don’t know already; I was recently diagnosed with a blood disorder (Essential Thrombocythemia) that necessitates me taking an oral chemotherapy drug and some low dose aspirin.

From the Mayo Clinic: “Essential thrombocythemia (throm-boe-sie-THEE-me-uh) is an uncommon disorder in which your body produces too many platelets. Platelets are the part of your blood that sticks together to form clots.”

More than likely, this will be for the rest of my life…. But gee whiz, you talk about balance; there are other pain relievers that you can’t take with a chemo drug, aspirin is difficult on a sensitive stomach, so you must eat food when you take them, as you must do with most medications….and of course, there are side effects for everything foreign you put into your body. I am creating and eating the healthiest food, I am determined to exercise, even though I am slowed down at every turn because of my knee that isn’t healing the way we expected, taking my medications as directed and doing all I can to be the person I was meant to be. It’s almost like a “catch 22” situation, one thing you do for yourself, counteracts, or interferes with something else you are trying to do. So, yes, it’s quite the balancing act. All I keep saying to myself is…. I want to go back to teaching… that is what I love to do. I am determined to continue with my classes at the YMCA…. It is slow going… whether I’m feeling tired because of one drug, or doing too much because of a painful knee.

As we “March fourth” into spring… I will start teaching the Silver Sneakers Cardio Circuit class on Friday, March 4th… and continue every Friday. There hasn’t been a class on Fridays for 6 months… so I will re-awaken Friday with more vigorous activity for my Silver Friends.

During Spring Break (Caldwell, Idaho School system) which is March 21st through the 25th… I will also be teaching the Pilates and mat yoga again (as my sub, Dalee, is going on Spring Break with her school aged children). In fact, I will start on Friday, the 18th of March with restorative Yoga before we celebrate spring and the Equinox on Monday, the 21st and proceed right on through the week with more spring activity. I am excited that I have set a deadline for myself. I am continuing to work hard, attending those classes as a participant to strengthen and even lifting very light weights to ‘find my way back’. I am physically feeling pretty good.

As time moves forward and my health situation because more stable, more balanced, I will continue to do more….just check out my on-line schedule (posted here at my web site under weekly class schedule, or on your YMCA app). I look forward to seeing many of my students/friends back again, that I haven’t seen in a while…it makes me feel very happy to feel the love and support from you all. Thank you.