Before I can share my One Little Word, I have to tell a story that seems unrelated. I promise it connects, though, because if anyone knows anything about me, it’s that I can take literally (!) anything and turn it into a metaphor. If you’re lucky, I might also make you giggle here and there.
You’re welcome.
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There I sat in my chiropractor’s office. I hadn’t been in forever, but it was long overdue. Here’s a general run-down of how it went:
Me: Hey, it’s been a minute!
Doc: Yes, it has. What brings you in?
Me: Well, that’s the thing. There are a few things niggling at me – knees, hips, ankles, back -, but if you’ve taught me anything, it’s that everything’s all connected. I’m hoping for a general assessment so I know what to work on first.
Doc: Wow, that’s great! I have taught you something! (OK, so I’m exercising artistic license here. Sue me.)
Doc: (proceeds to flip me like a pancake and flop my limbs like a puppet)
Me: Well?
Doc: Well, there are exercises you can do, but there’s an elephant in the room.
(The suspenseful music doesn’t actually start playing here, but you’re welcome to fill in your own if that helps you through the narrative.)
Doc: You’re not breathing right, and your body has compensated by twisting itself all around. I’m going to give you some breath work to do. (His explanation was much more sciencey-sounding, but you get the idea).
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Yes, my friends, you’ve read that right. I. Haven’t. Been. Breathing.
I mean, my lungs have been working and all, just not…well. Not deeply. Not fully.
It’s not a surprise; I even told the chiropractor that. So often in the last six months, I’ve caught myself holding my breath, bracing, steeling myself for traumas large and small, real or imagined. More often than not, I’ve held myself in suspended animation to get through each hour, each day, each week. I’ve caught myself holding my breath four times just in the writing of this post.
So. My One Little Word? It’s BREATHE. I’ll be working on it – literally – in the coming days. I’ve got my exercises to do, and like the B+ student I plan to be, I’ll complete them daily.
And as for that metaphor as promised, my One Little Word serves as a reminder throughout my life. I need to fully take things in. I need to provide myself with what I need physically, emotionally, spiritually. I need to create space for my thoughts and feelings.
Hopefully, that figurative exercise will look cooler on me than the literal one:
And you? Do you have an intention you’re setting for yourself? I’d love to hear.
Thanks to the Slice of Life community over at Two Writing Teachers. Check ‘em out!
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 
Marvelous job of connecting everything together. I always enjoy your stories and was actually interested in the ‘breathing’ exercises recommended-I’ll research. Breathe is a great OLW on so many levels! 🙂
Thanks, Debbie! And yes…”Breathe” works for LOTS of reasons. The breathing exercises my chiropractor gave me feel like a good start, though I’m trying to add more meditation and focused breathing throughout the day. A girl can dream!
You are an enjoyable writer to read! I loved the exchange between you and the doc and the “elephant in the room” comment. I think BREATHE will serve you well. And thank you – you have me thinking about myself and my own breathing. I decided to choose BLOOM as my OLW. You remind me that things bloom best when one is breathing well!! Happy New Year.
Wow, thanks, Sally! That means a lot coming from you. Your comment reminds me that I should share this post with my chiropractor. He might get a chuckle out of it too! I’ll head over to your blog as well. I love the idea of “bloom” as a OLW.
As always, everything connected. With some of the curves life throws our way, breathing becomes intense, choked, gaspy, etc. We need to calm down, relax, and breathe. Hope you word serves you well throughout the year. My OLW is alert. I need to be alert to the needs of others as well as my own needs.
YES. Everything IS connected. Yet another thing that holds true in both the physical and figurative sense. I’m also hoping this OLW is one that gets easier as the year goes on. I could sure use it!
I’m also a fan of your OLW, and i love that you have included your OWN needs on that list of awareness.
I always enjoy your writing! Promises made, promises kept–it all came together and I did indeed giggle. Here’s to fully taking things in!
Perfect! Glad to hear I hit the mark. That’s like making a successful batch of cookies. =))
I enjoyed reading how you got to your OLW. I’m still thinking, as I’m not sure I’ve done the OWL before. (If I did, I don’t remember.) I will keep looking, as your post shows you just don’t know where you will find it.
Isn’t it interesting how the word can show up in the most unexpected places? The good thing for your word is that “breathe” is always with you.
Yes! And it’s strange to think that breathing IS always with me – which is, I guess, why it gets taken for granted…
Breathe brings about the one step at a time, one day at a time feeling of living life while taking in enough air to fully enjoy every moment. I love all the stories about how words come alongside us and settle in for the journey. You’ve got a great one!
Thanks, Kim! And I love how you describe words coming alongside us and settling in for our journeys. What a powerful metaphor. Words DO keep us company – some of them make the traveling easy, others weigh us down as they rumble in our pockets…
Lainie, this is a fascinating story. Your lively, ever-artistic, pure-wit Lainie style is part of it, of course, but this content….not breathing right, resulting in those aches and pains…wow. The body’s attempt to respond and compensate for the psyche’s powerful hold – amazing. I, too, could probably make endless metaphor here! “Breathe” is definitely the OLW you need – we all need, really – on so many levels. I am reminded that breathing and breath are actually sacred. I thank you for this. As always, I savor your words. As to my own OLW: I stopped choosing one a few years ago when “Awe” flung open the windows and doors for finding it so exponentially. I have clung to Awe ever since. However…while I haven’t decided if I have the stamina for the March challenge this year… I had a wisp of an idea, a vapor of inspiration, perhaps a wee temptation or bit of a pull, to see if I could write about “Water” every single day, or maybe “Grace”. Not sure. We’ll see. At any rate, do take care of you and do remember to BREATHE, my friend, and I will do the same; I need to. You may have caught yourself holding your breath while writing, but please know that while reading your writing, I find expanse and calm and exactly what is needed to Breathe. And I’m deeply grateful for it.