Recovery

A recent triple whammy of illness, dentistry, pulled muscles, and other manifestations of the ‘when it rains it pours’ school of thought had me flat on my back a lot of this last week. There’s been a lot less movement than I’ve grown accustomed to; forget the gym, I’m talking about reaching for the remote even. I realized I haven’t done nothing, and I do mean nothing, in close to a decade.

There’s nothing quite like not even being able to reach for your phone to force you to be still, and to be present, even if your mind would rather be anywhere but, and be doing anything but. It was difficult, obviously, but it was telling that the things I found most difficult had very little to do with pain, or discomfort. Re-learning how to ask for help was a big one, and learning to receive that help was the biggest one. I have renewed gratitude for the smallest things – getting up unassisted! Making a cup of tea! Hurray! I have renewed gratitude for learning (or if I’m honest, being schooled in) how to be vulnerable. And most of all I have renewed appreciation for Gaurav, who was willing to be my arms, legs and sense of humour when my own were being less than cooperative (shout out to bestie Naasha, who straightened up and returned everything to its rightful place for me! Only the excessively-tidy will understand the torment of seeing a crooked bedsheet and not being able to do anything about it).

Forget green juice (well I mean, don’t, it’s wonderful), I have new rules for recuperation.

- When in doubt, sleep

- Drink a lot of water, and I mean a LOT. Peeing is inconvenient, but it will flush any meds you’re taking right out of your system in a way you will be very grateful for.

- Forget plans and schedules and timelines. These were the things that stressed me out the most, the things I was meant to be doing, the things I wasn’t doing, the people I was letting down. It is a recipe for frustration and disappointment, and the sort of thing we torture ourselves with most.

The world will continue to turn without you, and while it does, nap.