Outdoors

Some people have had decorative signs on their lawns tha say one word - BELIEVE. It always annoyed me because I want to ask believe what? Believe in miracles? Belive in Karma? Believe in God? Just believe seems pretty dip - so open your brain falls out.

But here is something I believe - the Outdoors heals! As you know I have been sruggling this summer with what I would have to describe as a mood disorder - a deep state of sadness. Is it depression? I don't know exactly what depression is. I can still function,s o perhaps not. I wrote you about the death of my cat Booty and my dog Uma and those were the events that rode on the back of the pain and sorrow train that is Old Age!

Old age is so hard. Losing beauty is ok, but losing vision and hearing is awful, but even worse is losing mobility. When I speak of what I am going through, it is a reflection of the experience of 2/3rd of the people I know who are my age. Four of my friends and two of their husbands are experiencing what I experience a couple even worse. Only two people I know my age are so far free of these disabling conditions: one has had two knee replacements with resounding success and is traveling and climing hills and mountains. Two others walk over 10,000 steps a day with a fluent and confident stride. Those two walkers do have their on situations to contend with but less life altering: kidney stones, and a mild form of dementia.

When I described my cobdition to my Philadelphia brother, he said, "Now you know how I feel." That aame day, I found "7 minutes of chair tai chi for old people" on YouTube and gave it a try. It was easy and I will do it again.

The next day, I went to Proprietor's Park and did the little walk, which is 900 steps from the car to the statue and around and back. I hope in a week, I will be able to do the longer walk along the river. I made a deal with myself, I could have my decaf latte' as long as I drove directly to the park and did the little walk each day. I have done it two days in a row. It does make me feel better.

I know and have proved it experientially at least to myelf that getting outdoors is healing and beneficial emotionally and physically. The key however, has always been how to make myself do it when I am depressed and lethargic. For the month of July when I was experiencing the pet losses and heart episodes, I just couldn't make myelf do it. Now somehow I can. I recommended the "7 minute chair tai chid for old people" to my brother and he said he would look at it. I hope he does. My brotehr in W.Va. does better than either of us in mood control and I think it is because he walks his dog outside every day - every day! Outdoors is somethign I do believe in!

Get Outside! Start with a car ride to the park if you can't make yourself walk, even a sit on a bench can get the magic of the trees and the ir and th natural world into your sad and wanting body.

Happy Trails!

wrightj45@yahoo.com

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