Balancing Act

I'm going to make a list of the tools I have hanging around my house that help me keep things in balance today. At the top of the list is execise. I know I go on and on and on about it, all the time here at H's Comment, but it's so important, let me indulge just one more time.

Yoga -- helps me feel my feelings in my body, literally helps me read my body like a road map to walk the path of my feelings, I see the smooth path of my spine most days, the rocky road of my upset belly other days, the construction site and ditch of my tense shoulders, sometimes a mess. I don't do anything very intense, just stretching and a little quiet meditation, but the ROI is amazing. It gives me a calmness I can't find anywhere else, and reminds me what matters and what doesn't. Of course, it tells you most of the things you're worrying about don't matter at all.

Walking -- another magical renewal activity which I always start in a lackluster way, not at all convinced it will make one bit of difference in my mind or body, but 20 minutes into it, I'm born again and ready to evangelize about how wonderful it is to just get out the door and walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.

Lifting Weights -- never used to care for this but now, there's something absolutely exciting about the precision it affords, to see all the edges and curves of the muscles of the arms, for instance, as you work your biceps, triceps, shoulders. And the thighs and glutes, what a fascinating architecture and source of stability and strength.

Swimming -- I'm going literally off the deep end these days when it comes to swimming. As a kid, I always loved to toss those diving rings into the water and race other kids to dive after them. I love to go to the bottom of the deep end and get something no one else can retrieve. I like the mind blur you get into as you do laps, the body getting into a rhythm, the mind washing away worry.

Skiing -- don't get me started! I mean, DO get me started. The season is almost here and I can't wait.

Skating -- I've been skating a bit lately and I forgot how much I love it. I feel like an angel flying by on wings on a lovely mirror. Whisk ...........shhhhhhh.

Running -- I only do it inside on a track because I'm still really careful with my foot that I injured this summer. I think of running as a mind game. I love surprising myself at a great distance attained I didn't expect to crack on one day. And I love a day where I'm tired or cranky or just useless, but I put in a decent showing nonetheless. I like to sweat and feel it run down from my neck, between my breasts, down my belly. Makes me feel tough.

Tennis -- I'm no good at all, but I love the running part and how foolish you feel when you didn't bother to move your ass fast enough to be in the right place at the right time to whack that ball back. It's so much harder than it looks.

Golf -- I never tried it until pretty recently. It's so hard! And it's so exciting with all the variables of weather, course, terrain, all those different sticks to pick from, the brainy strategy required, the quiet of nature, the threat of rain, the frustration of a lost ball, the funny shoes. It's really cool.

Honestly, I love any sport that gets me out of my head and into my body. My body is much smarter than my head most of the time. I need to remember that.