Walking The Mile
Today, I went on a longer-than-normal walk with my dog, Willow. Now that I’ve been home resting for a couple hours, I’m reminded of the #1 rule that I live by. One that I know others with invisible illnesses will understand;
To make damn sure whatever you do will be worth it.
And it was.
The weather was lovely; it felt like spring. After such brutal freezing temperatures lately, it was good to be able to finally enjoy the outdoors. No more cabin fever! It gets pretty gloomy after a while…
I did my hair, a wee bit of makeup, put on my favorite “booty” jeans, and I felt amazing. Willow and I walked farther than usual, down one of this city’s most popular strips. There were so many beautiful people out with the same idea, I even ran into my daughter and her boyfriend.
But I couldn’t stay. You see, I was already sore and still needed to walk back home. One of the most difficult aspects of living with invisible illnesses and chronic pain is not knowing your limits from day to day. Usually, it’s a matter of finding out the hard way.
My walk home felt much farther and became incredibly difficult to enjoy. The spring fever that surrounded me was overwhelming as the pain in my legs and back increased with every step. Confidence is sexy, sure. But sometimes, the attention is dreadful once you notice the booty jeans worked.
“Oh my God, please don’t trip. Don’t limp. You’ll make it home. Don’t sway your hips too much, or you’ll throw your back out. Ahh, please don’t limp!”
So I made it home and haven’t been able to move much since. This pain and discomfort I feel will linger. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to predict how long it will take to return to my “normal” pain level. But it was worth it.
I got out for a bit, enjoyed the weather, and saw my daughter for a few minutes. I looked gorgeous and felt pretty damn good about it.
So what that I probably have a half dozen new varicose veins, or that I still need to stand to cook myself dinner somehow? I probably won’t venture out too far from home for a few days. But it really was worth it.
It’s the little things like this that make a difference. When it’s going to hurt either way, make it count. A real Sophie’s choice for a better quality of life. Even if it’s for just an hour or so.
Sarah Cameron has been an avid writer at heart since early childhood and has recently rediscovered her voice. This resulted in writing a multitude of essays and memoirs she hopes to one day publish. These works intend to shine a light below the surface of the proverbial iceberg of everyday life. Such topics as surviving abuse and finding healing through truth, to living with invisible illnesses and the stigma attached to them. Sarah helps shift the perspective to raise awareness using relatable analogies and light humor while focusing on unspoken truth. Her hope is to amplify the voices of those who aren’t heard with her writing and public speaking. Learn more about Sarah on Our Contributors page!
I always love going on walks when the weather is nice. It helps to clear my head. I so agree, the little things make the big things worth it.
The weather has improved which is great and so getting outside is so much nicer. After a few days to recover you’ll hopefully be ready to go again.
Little wins like that can really make the day feel so much better. Good for you!
I get winter blues as I do not do well anymore in the cold weather. Hoping to move to. A warmer place. Happy you got to spend time with your daughter.
I need to start walking again. I usually exercise in the morning before the sun comes up, so I am waiting for the sun to rise earlier.
Chronic pain is no fun. Glad you didn’t let it keep you from a nice walk with your pup. Hope you feel better soon!
I am glad you got out for a walk and enjoyed it regardless of the pain you felt afterwards. While your body is recovering at least you have memories to lean on to get you through. Hang in there!
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
I love going on walks. My daughters and I have been taking them lately since the weather has been nice. Looks like we’re going to get snow again on Wednesday though, so that sucks. I’m looking forward to taking more walks again.
It’s so inspiring to hear how you managed to balance self-care with a bit of fun, even when it’s tough. I hope you get some much-needed rest, and keep rocking those booty jeans!
I’m sorry to hear that you struggle with illness. Walking is so good for you when you are able to do it!
What honesty and encouragement. Walking is one of the best therapies
Writing can be a cathartic release. I really like the expression ‘the proverbial iceberg of everyday life’ that you used. It’s so true – there’s often much more going on in people’s lives than meets the eye. Wishing you all the best.
It sounds like you and Willow really had an incredible (and mind-opening!) walk recently. I love when your mind wanders in all the right directions during long walks.
I always love taking long walks with my dog, as my mind gets to wander a bit, and sometimes you can have amazing revelations! I loved reading about the recent ones that you had, too.
Boy, do I know how you feel when it comes to chronic pain. Now that the weather is becoming nicer, I am excited to get out and do some walking and riding.
It’s so hard to know your own limits sometimes. I don’t have chronic pain and struggle with that while we are hiking with the Boy Scouts. Even though it took a lot out of you, at least you were able to get out for a little bit.
The weather here is great too. I love taking walks, but I have a knee problem after pregnancy. I hope soon I`ll find a pain solution and start enjoying walking more.
We try to rush through pain or hide it but you showed how healing can happen when we face it with grace and truth. That part about learning to walk at your own pace really resonated with me — we all need to hear that especially us mums, dreamers and healers juggling it all.
I love walking, It give me time to think and reflex on my day. Thanks for sharing this wonderful post