Letters to Grandma: November 2016

A month or so ago I sought the help of a physical therapist for some shoulder pain I'd been experiencing for, oh, maybe since last Easter. For some reason I talk myself into believing if I persevere through the pain it will eventually go away. This works sometimes, but not all the time! Anyway, at my first visit the therapist thought perhaps I might have a bit of stress in my life. And I may possibly be tense a significant share of the time.

Who knew?

I like to consider myself fairly chill....I mean, I realize I'm not, but I kinda figured if I envision myself that way long enough, perhaps one day I'll wake up and be totally mellow. Over the course of a couple weeks the therapist developed a plan to help not only my shoulder relax, but my entire body. Of course this takes some work on my part, and I often find myself getting wound UP trying to find time to wind DOWN.

Meanwhile I found a spiritual director whom I love. Along with spiritual advice, he suggested an allotted time each day spent alone in silence, aligning perfectly with the suggestions of the therapist.

Boom! Two birds with one stone.

Except there's this reality that I'm a wanted woman. We begin school so early that there isn't time before everyone is up and moving. So I decided the kids can do without me for 15 minutes in the middle of the day. But as soon as I'm MIA the kids decide they're either beginning a pillow fight or escaping to the great outdoors. Or worse.....finding me.

Today I locked my bedroom door, then went in the bathroom and locked that door as well. No sooner had I sat on the floor and began a Hail Mary than I heard the bedroom lock click. Then a knock on the bathroom door.

Hail Mary, full of....

~ Click...."Mom?" knock.knock.knock.

....grace, the Lord is....

"Mom? Are you in there?"

Deep inhale......with thee. Blessed art....

"Mom! I really need you!"

Exhaling slowly....now where was I?

Drat.

Hail Mary, full of grace...

"MOM! Nicholas is not doing what you told him to do!"

So I decided to retry that evening. Everyone was snug in their bed, except Shannon. He wanted to chat. About kitchen designs. I am not a designer. Actually, I really have no creativity in that department whatsoever, but he stills likes to bounce ideas around. Just as I began to relax he began, "I really like this kitchen island. What do you think about it? And the vacuum outlet is in an ingenious location..."

I guess we are all going to need to some retraining. I have not decided how it will all work out, but if my family wants a chill momma and one whose shoulder is healed enough to row a raft we're going to have to establish some new habits.

The first one is going to be, "If a door is locked don't climb in through the window.....tiptoe softly away!"

This kid....he knows how to relax ~