Gratitude Letter for My Body

Dear body,

I am so grateful for you taking me into 2023.

In January of 2022, I caught COVID 19. What a way too start the new year. So did my daughter and mother, poor things. I spent 10 day’s fighting the virus with fluids, rest, and Zinc. I must admit, as an introvert who had company over the holidays, quarantining with my new adopted cat Charlie, was just what I needed.

Now having C-19 is no joke! The symptoms seem to vary for each person, but I would not wish any of them on anyone. After I lost my sense of smell and taste, I dropped a couple of stubborn, pandemic pounds. Food just wasn’t the same.

For the rest of the year, I experienced joint pain most days because of my autoimmune disease-RA, which hit me like a ton of bricks, 4 years ago. I’m on a regiment of meds that keeps inflammation at bay, but they deteriorate organs to ease the pain; the meds also cause fatigue. But the last thing a person with RA should do is, stop moving/walking/working out.

In November, I felt like every muscle in my body, especially my buttock, thighs and calf’s, was flat lining. I was so weak I had to hold on to things to bend over. I realized I hadn’t walked, worked out, lifted weights or anything, since like, early October. I’m writing a self-love guide to publish this year and had gotten out of balance with working out / physical wellness. Not to mention the travel I did in Oct & November.

Regardless of the excuses/procrastination/dread, I am so grateful to be here and for all the wonderful things that occurred in 2022. My GOD! The beauty I saw. The people that touched me. The love I felt. So Grateful! Humbled too.

In 2023, I’m focused on taking better care of this temple (body & mind) – every inch of it. At this point, the joint pain will come & go – that’s a given. I’ve got dedicate/manage time to maintain both my physical & mental health. I’ve already committed to hiking for 5 days in the Rockies of Colorado in July. It’s a program called Huts for Vets. I’ll be hiking and “hutting with a group of other women veterans. Hooah!

Yes! At 61 years old, I’m doing it. Dear body, in 2023, I promise to be better.

Follow me on this journey to great heights!