Sickness and Health

For the past two weeks, I have been pretty sick. It's what my supervisor at the preschool calls "preschool-itis", basically guaranteeing that the ridiculous amount of germs and illness we teachers come into contact with on a daily basis will make any new teacher come down with the all too common cold.

I'm not perfect yet, but I'm pretty close to getting back to full health. For the past couple weeks, I have been coughing, wheezing, going through phases of complete voice loss, and other symptoms that made my daily life miserable. There were good days and bad, and it was especially rough to manage it all alone since I didn't have my parents to take care of me.

I honestly never thought I'd say this in my life, but I am so grateful today to be at the gym. I know, I know! It's crazy coming from me, but it's true. I'm finally back into my comfortable routine of walking the quarter mile uphill to the Claremont Club (my local health club/gym) and sitting myself at the cafe to write out a blog post before getting in a workout. It's strange, but I am so grateful to be back.


I'll admit it: I don't treat my body the way I should, or at least I haven't for many years. After all of high school fighting against the demons in my brain, I never really learned to care for my physical body. One fight at a time, one lesson, one struggle, was all I could handle.

There is a theory that empaths, or highly sensitive people, tend to put on weight as a sort of buffer to protect against the world around us. We absorb so much in terms of sensations, experiences, and emotions, that the extra layer of weight protects us in some superficial way. It is only once we come to peace that we can protect ourselves mentally that we can let go of the physical barrier pressing against the rest of the world.

I don't know if I believe all that, but I know I want to take care of my body better, starting today. I have a sticker in my planner that says, "One day or Day one, you decide". I like that. Instead of telling myself I will one day start taking care of my physical body, I will make today day one.

And there will be setbacks and there will be obstacles, but I deserve food that nourishes my body and exercise that rejuvenates me and a body that I feel comfortable living in, whatever size that is.

It's a process, it's a journey, but it's me. This is my body, this is my life, and I deserve every ounce of care and love I would give to anyone or anything else.

With love and strength,

Rivi