So today was a different type of day. For some reason, I woke up out of sorts. Both hips hurt and I just did not feel well. So crappy that I almost cancelled my appointment with my friend and beautician for an updated hair cut and color. It had definitely been something that I had been looking forward to all week and to even have the thought of cancelling it is way out of character for me. I don’t usually let my hips win. I had already pushed through a short workout on the elliptical and a yoga class. So what gives?
In the moment, there is a sense of panic. Popped a few Tylenol, but went on my way. I always feel lighter after a good trim. So we got to talking – keep in mind, my beautician is a friend of mine who I have known for 25 years or so. A long time. She has seen my kids grow up and I have seen hers grow up. I held her stillborn baby boy on Mother’s Day many years ago. I have seen her fear during the premature deliveries of her last three children. So fast forward all those years. All of the painful times will be erased. She will be holding her first grandchild in a few weeks. What pain? She will not remember.
She dried my hair. My eyes were closed. I turned around to see myself in her mirror. I feel better. Hope restored.
And I got to thinking. She had some immense pain between her pregnancies – I can’t even count the miscarriages. Definitely way too many. But all of that will be a blip on the radar of her life. Now my own two children are grown. One is out of the country for three weeks and will be soon embarking on a Master’s degree. My youngest is hoping to have her first big girl job at the university she graduated from. It was yesterday that we packed our belongings with a 4-month-old in tow to grow our family in a new community. That was yesterday even though yesterday was 25 years ago. So what is the message?
Your hips do not deserve all of your energy and worry. There are so many incredible moments with family and friends that you need to grab hold of so those can paint your outlook. At the end of the day, your hip woes will be a blip on the radar of your life. Don’t panic. Keep your chin up. And this is what I told myself today as I looked in the mirror.