Well, I could have, but I felt unbelievably guilty. It didn’t seem right. I was having an incredible weekend. On Saturday, I stayed in my pajamas until about 5:30. I did some cleaning and organizing in the apartment. I caught up on some television and I took a nap. At 6:00, I showered and got dressed for a night on the town. I felt so relaxed and happy.
I met up with four friends from college with whom I started a dance company, Danceworks. It is now the largest student club at Syracuse University! I rode in a cab with Marie and she and I discussed nutrition (does that surprise you?). Marie had a lot of questions and I’m always happy to talk about healthy living. As we were getting out of the cab downtown, the driver turned around and said, “I loved listening to your nutrition talk. I eat wheat-free and dairy-free and I’ve never felt better!” What a way to kick-off the night.
The five of us enjoyed a delicious dinner and great conversation. We went around the table and spoke up about our fondest memory of Danceworks. In addition to the feeling of “home” and camaraderie we all experienced each and every time we were in the dance studio, we smiled at the memory of performing “Thriller” outside during a fire drill. Yes, we were rehearsing in full make-up and costume for Michael Jackson’s masterpiece when we had to exit the dance studio because of a fire drill. What’s a dancer supposed to do in full make-up and costume? Perform! And so we did – think of it as a precursor to what we know today as a flash mob.
After this conversation we had to go out dancing, which we did until 2:30 in the morning. Seriously, on the night we “spring forward” and lose an hour sleep we stay out until 2:30? Oh yes, we closed the place (which surprised me since we were in NYC, the city that never sleeps).
At some point during the evening, my friend Nancy and I decided we were going to the gym together on Sunday. After not going to be until after 4, I slept until 11am. I woke up thinking, “Am I really meeting Nancy for a workout?” That’s the great thing about a buddy system – you support each other to do what is best. And it was a gorgeous spring day in New York, so I did want to get outside.
Nancy and I met at the gym, enjoyed a heart-healthy cardio workout and smiled as we spoke about the previous evening. We were both feeling on top of the world and didn’t want our time together to end. So, we took a nice walk down Third Avenue, first stopping so she could buy healthy vegetables for her dinner and then I went to The Juice Press to pick up my favorites juices to start off the week. At this point, it was time to say goodbye.
I walked home, holding my yummy green juices and soaking in the sun and warm weather. People were probably wondering why I was smiling so broadly. I was blissfully happy. I must add that while I was out with Nancy, Keith was home during the laundry. Seriously, does it get any better than that? I’m out enjoying myself and my husband is home doing the laundry. He is keeper! I started thinking about how I wanted to capture the feelings of joy and gratitude and share on Facebook.
And then I felt as if I’d been punched in the stomach. It was the anniversary of the devastating earthquake/tsunami in Japan. Towns in the middle of the United States have just recently been ravaged by tornadoes, not to mention Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which endured a similar disaster in 2011. So many lives have been lost in Afghanistan. And the list could go on and on. There is so much tragedy in the world. What would I sound like if I wrote on Facebook about how extraordinary my life is?
To be continued…
Next Steps:
- Keep a gratitude journal. Every day, write a least 3-5 things for which you are grateful.
- Plan an evening with friends. Appreciate the people in your life and enjoy your time together.
- Write a letter to a long-distance friend. Ask him/her how they are, what’s new and good in their life? Celebrate your connection.
These steps will support you to see your value in the world and to those around you. What could be more nourishing? Would it help you to talk about this? If you are concerned about your nutrition and lifestyle routines and know you want to do things differently so you can be your best every day, contact me or call 413-282-7286. At Bravo! Wellness, I work with my clients to create manageable lifestyle changes so they are able to achieve their greatest potential in life, health and business.
