Memo To Self

(New Mexico Sunset, Photo by Josh Bateman)

The last few days you have really struggled with heat and its effects on your body. It’s really caused havoc even in your ability to attend the entire church service. 

You're perplexed because for the last two years, it’s been quite the opposite as you’ve enjoyed rejuvenation in the sauna. Life is change though, therefore we must be constantly changing too.

Here are some lessons learned, that should be no surprise to you for the next summer when you struggle. Do NOT wear nylons or heavy dress clothing. 

Wearing your hair up truly makes a difference. Ice packs and an umbrella while in the heat will make it so you can participate where you couldn’t otherwise. 

When the ice packs don’t work, remember that your health is more important than providing courtesy to others – get out of the heat.

Today you left church early because of the heat. Stripping off your clothes and laying in the coolest part of the house just to stop your body from trembling, jittering, and feeling so inflamed that you can’t stand to be in your own skin. 

Then just a few hours later you felt restless and wanted to do something… anything. So you attempted to do a strength-training workout and after a few minutes of warm-up you had the energy to pick it up a notch. You did it and felt energized.

Granted not everything has left your body, your ear still hurts and your eye feels sore, but you now have the energy to be human and as normal as can be expected without lamenting or laying down trying to be content to let the couch hold you. Today is not that day and you know it.

So now you have a little (very tiny) energy reserve. Step away from the computer, let your eyes rest, but go, do and stop thinking about this challenge/blessing and live!

~ Me