Dear Body
Thank you for being with me for all of my life. I realize you don’t have a choice, but yet you do. You could choose to die. Without you, I cannot exist. So thank you for staying with me all of this time and not giving up or giving out. I recognize that you are amazing. You perform so many functions, without my even being aware of them. You have all of those systems: endocrine, digestive, immune, renal, and circulatory. Most of the time I am taking them for granted and not even noticing they are there. When I do notice them, I am often frustrated or disappointed. I mean, who wants a stomachache? Who wants a backache? Why do I have to have the flu? Well, those are all parts of my body taking care of me. The stomachache is reminding me that I ate too much for my body or that I ate something unsafe that the belly is trying to process. The backache is reminding me to move more carefully and to become stronger so that I may endure more physical challenges. The flu is my body’s reaction to germs. What a great set of systems they are. I am fortunate to have them. Really body, you are in good functioning order, and I’m grateful you take care of me. You are like my car. I don’t think very much about you and how you run. I take for granted how much you do for me.
When I think about my senses, I am amazed. These too, I take for granted. The other day during meditation, I started thinking about my fingertips. What amazing little parts you have there! My fingertips have been a gateway to the world for 58 years. As soon as I was born, I was able to touch things. I may not remember, but I know my fingers were instantly available to touch my world. Right now, these fingers are touching the keyboard and typing my words. It’s as if they are directly connected to my thoughts. Really, I’ve got a zillion neurons up in my head that are connecting to the fingers. The connection is so quick! In less than a blink of an eye, the words are coming out of my fingers. How cool is that?
These fingers have touched so many things in my life. They’ve played with toys. They’ve prepared meals. They’ve given hugs. They’ve touched rocks, soft cloths, pencils, water, sticky baby poops, the fur on kittens, and so much more. They hold a history of my life in their little whorls. What would they say if they could speak?
My eyes too, have seen so much. You watch the world go by, and I don’t even think about it. I EXPECT to be able to see. How selfish is that? I used to be disappointed in you when I I had to wear glasses. I was frustrated that you weren’t perfect. Yet, with the glasses I was able to read and see colors. I was able to tell the special differences in things. I saw the smiles on my babies’ faces. I saw my dad when he met me at the airport when I visited. I’ve seen art, movies, mountains, flowers, clouds, rain showers, snow storms, and so much more. I am grateful now that I was able to see those things. So what if I needed glasses? Thank you for the eyes who patiently and bravely went through Lasik surgery so I can now see without glasses or contacts. Body, your eyes put up with a lot from me, and I am grateful for their patience.
Thank you for providing the ears that I use to hear millions of things. Here too, I EXPECT to hear. I expect to hear my son’s voice on the other end of the phone when he calls. I expect to hear music coming through my car’s speakers when I drive. I expect to hear the trickle of water in the pond That One Guy (TOG) made for me. Where would my life be without the beautiful music of sound? I wouldn’t be scared by creaks I hear in my house at night, but aren’t those a small price to pay for the wonder of sounds in my ears?
Oh, taste and smell! You bring me such joy! Where would I be in the world without the taste of cheese? And chocolate! The aroma of a nectarine as I bring it to my mouth and then the fruity, juicy, slurpiness of it as I take a bite. Thank you body for providing these senses so that I may choose the candles I like (and avoid those I don’t like), savor a good steak (apologies to vegetarian and vegan friends and family), and feel the bite of a good crusty bread as I swallow a piece. What about curries? How could I enjoy those without my senses of taste and smell? I am so lucky to have these glorious experiences in my life.
Oh, and body? Have I thanked you yet for helping me to move? To walk, and hike, and ski, and dance? To practice yoga? To propel me around my house, my yard, my neighborhood? To help me to get through the supermarket where I buy lots of tasty bits? You are really awesome for providing me a way to move, body. I can’t thank you enough for that.
Body, I know I have not been kind to you. I know I have spent days and years berating you. I know I felt you weren’t good enough, small enough, young enough, and flexible enough. Enough for what? You have provided me with so much joy, and yet I spent so much time beating you up. That isn’t fair. I want to commit to you that I will spend more time being kind to you. I will spend more time listening to you. I will spend more time appreciating you. You are an amazing and wonderful body. I am grateful that you are my body.
