Yesterday got away from me! My darling daughter took off on a camping trip and my heart hurt for at least half the day. I worked, and things swirled and by the time the day wound down it was up in dust.

Health is Physical:

I woke up today refreshed and ready to move my legs. I hooked up with my friend Sarah and we ran to Morro Bay and back along the edge of the bay, about 10 miles. The estuary I live next to is the ultimate symbol of contrast, and adaptability. The plants and animals that live in it have to survive in fresh water (the stream that runs in), salt water (ocean high tide) and every salination between. Sometimes the estuary is bone dry and other times fully submerged.

Can you image a less hospitable environment? And yet, it is not. It’s bursting with activity. There even used to be a family of wild pigs that hung out on the estuary. Running next to it on a muggy and damp morning, with a friend beside me, talking about life, love, and family was a pretty special moment. It’s easy to overlook the opportunities for connection that running has always provided in my life. Connection to self, and connection with others. For me, it’s the juicy part of life, those touch points where I listen to you, you listen to me, and we see each other in a new light, if even only for a moment. The contrast of the estuary reminds me to remain fluid and adaptable.

Health is Mental/Emotional:

In keeping with the theme of contrast my mid day was consumed with watching the Crew Dragon launch, an experience that had me in tears from inspiration, possibility, and hope. The evening contrasted to tears of unidentifiable feelings. So many parts of me with different feelings: sadness, rebelliousness, honesty, fear, and compassion. If I know anything from my personal dark times of the soul, I know the worse it gets, the lower and more despair experienced, the more potential there is for a rise at some point. Potential is a word I pick deliberately. The path between can sometimes feel like you might die, like you might not make it to the other side of the pain, and I think some people/cultures/nations don’t. The energy of now feels similar to a bottom and I remember wanting to burn a lot of shit down when I was in that place personally. I remember wanting to develop a hard drug habit (like WTF I’ve never done a single drug in my life and I was oddly obsessed with the idea of really hard drugs). The mind goes way out on a limb in times of deep toil. In my experience, it did come back around to life, to deeper understanding, but the between time is the hardest and I don’t think we have even begun that process as a nation.

Todays emotionally healthy act was to sit in contrast, in a place of awareness and non judgement. I have no idea if it’s the right action, but it’s what I had in me today.

Health is Spiritual

Spiritual health today was visiting my happy place, in my happy dress, with happy hair and watching the sun set on another wild day on Earth. Orange orange orange, the color that provokes an immediate reaction. In Confucianism, orange is the color of transformation. It’s full of fire, the color of holy robes, the highest state of illumination. It makes me feel passionate and strong willed, energetic. I’m thankful for tonights brilliant display of light.

Insights

Tomorrow is my final day of #everydayinmay. Blogging every day was at times challenging, as was taking three healthy actions every day! I never regretted a single action and I enjoyed the focus, purpose, and intention it brought to my life. It sounds simple, but sometimes simple is the best approach.

Until tomorrow… in good health.