Making my body happy

Last night when I went to bed, I hurt so badly all over that I could barely walk.I feel a lot better now, but there are still residual effects.  My body has gone through a lot over the past few days--but it was so worth it! 

On Saturday I play basketball in a Relief Society basketball playoff.  It was a blast.  And guess what?  I was not the worst player out there.  Nor the best, of course, but it felt pretty good to be middle of the pack.  Here are a few pictures:

Me in the middle foto really cracks me up.  I'm working hard!  Anyway, it really was super fun and quite possibly the best part of the entire week.

The next day I could hardly move.  Every time I sat down for more than 30 minutes (which was often, because it was Sunday), when I would stand up I'd about fall over.  And then there was (is!) the abrasion on my knee that makes it so I can't bend it without a lot of pain--and definitely can't kneel on it. :(

But no worries, even though it was Sunday, I got a bit of a work out to limber me up.  Lindsay (my roommate) and I worked hard for about half an hour to get her car out of the ice and snow (heavy on the ice part) so we could go to church. I was inside the car for awhile, but then I went out.  Crawled across the hood (with my knee that couldn't bend) and down into the snow to push that side of the car. (Remember that I'm so sore I can hardly move--plus fasting. Not sure how efficacious my pushing was.) I was beside the wheel that was peeling out--and drenching me in icy, black water.  Seriously, my face was covered in black water and my coat/dress/shoes were drenched. After we got out I quickly washed my face and changed and off we went. Again, it was exhilarating. One the best parts of my day. 

Monday: I thought I was sore yesterday!  Wow, I'm stiff and old today.  Went out into the sunny, warm day, where ice and snow are melting.  And as I walked down the sidewalk, I slid on a patch of ice and biffed it--hard!  Now my calf is killing me and I have an abrasion on my hand to match my knee.  Fortunately my down coat cushioned my body and head. 

And then that night, for family home evening, we went to a nursing home and had a Valentine's Day dance.  It was a blast.  Sooo much fun!  I love dancing, I love old people, I love old music (makes dancing even better).  It was just great. And by the end of the evening I was 1) happier than I've been in a long time and 2) so sore (including blisters on my feet--bare feet on churchy carpet not a good match, but I couldn't dance in snow boots) that I literally could nor stand up straight and felt like I could barely walk.  The good thing was, being around all those old (and awesome) people reminded me that I wasn't that bad off. :)  Here are some dance pictures.  

But here's the thing, every part of it was so worth it.  Slipping on the ice was the only thing that I wouldn't gladly do all over again. Partially because of the interaction with others.  Both my RS sisters, my roommates, and the wonderful people at the Estates (including a few people who wouldn't have danced if it wasn't for me! And some who I helped make really happy; one man actually cried a little through his shy, gentle smile--yes, it made my week).

The other part is because--I love my body.  I really do.  I'm so grateful for it. I could write a lot more about that (many related things have been on my mind, especially the role that Christ plays in creating that love), but suffice it to say that it's such a wonderful gift. And I love to move it and use it--to run, to play, to work hard, to express the passion of living. One of my friends, Jai, had never danced before and I "made" her dance for a little while last night.  When she was saying, "But I don't know hooowww," I replied--"You don't have to 'know how'; just listen to the music and move around.  Make your body happy."

My body is happy.  And consequentially my heart is too.