Oh my aching back!

I used to work for a chiropractor and every day, I'd hear the patients come in complaining about their various aches and pains. Almost every single one of them would say, "oh, my aching back." Several of the older patients would tell me as they'd be leaving, "be glad you're young and you don't have back problems. When you're back hurts, everything hurts!" I was blessed. I didn't have trouble with my spine. I was happy and healthy and strong. I loved working in the medical field and enjoyed seeing others receive relief from physical pain. They'd come in grimacing, hurting and barely able to stand. After they'd received their adjustments, they'd walk out smiling and feeling instant relief. I was always amazed how quickly their countenance would change after protruding disks had been slipped back into place.

One of the perks of working for a chiropractor was the ability to receive free spinal adjustments. Although I wasn't aware of having any back problems, I decided to have the doctor adjust me one day. I'd had a migraine headache all day long and it just wouldn't go away. When he told me he could fix it, I decided to give chiropractic a try.

I went in to the examination room, put on the gown and waited for the doctor to come in. My head was pounding and I felt sick at my stomach. He came in to the room and had me lie down on the table as he checked every single vertebrae in my spine. As he lightly touched the places that were out of alignment, I could feel discomfort. As he began to adjust me, I felt instant relief. It was amazing! The doctor showed me a chart when he was through adjusting me. He explained how nerves from all over our bodies are attached to our spine. It was fascinating to know that when my head hurt, I could have my spine adjusted and the pain would disappear. Within a week or two, I was sold on chiropractic and the benefits of natural healing to the body. 

Today, my back hurts, my arms hurt, every joint in my body is telling me I'm not as young as I used to be. In fact, I think they're screaming, "what in the world were you thinking???"  They don't just ache and they aren't just stiff, they hurt! I wish I still worked for the chiropractor because if I did, I know he could adjust me and make me good as new. But, I don't have anyone to adjust me any longer. Since surgery, my body has been in agony. The muscles and tendons that were deeply cut are no longer the same. I can't move the way I used to move. It takes great effort to do things that once used to be easy.

Last night was our family Christmas gathering. I worked for days beforehand getting everything ready...cleaning and scrubbing, mopping and vacuuming, dusting and doing...making sure everything would be perfect. And everything was perfect. We had a lovely time sharing a delicious meal, good conversation and reminiscing over Christmases past, but I should have known better.

I stayed up late watching a movie with one of my daughters. I don't stay up late any more...usually, I'm in bed by 9:30 p.m. It was a Christmas movie and it was really good...I thought it would be okay, just this once. I'm not that old!

Today, I've suffered from all the work I did preparing, from staying up late, from picking up my granddaughter and doing things I shouldn't have done...but, I thought I could handle...WRONG. It seems my body isn't as strong as it used to be and I haven't been listening to it like I should. It's been telling me it's tired and needs to rest but I didn't heed the warnings. My poor aching back! I don't want to complain, really, but it just hurts.

Why do we focus so much on comfort? We want everything to be easy. We don't want to have to put forth any effort. Why don't we appreciate the good along with the bad? Every ache, every pain reminds me that I'm still alive. Yes, picking up my granddaughter, who weighs 25 pounds, wasn't a good thing to do but that smile...that impish little grin she gave me...it was worth it. All the cleaning and scrubbing, yes, it was taxing, but the reward was greater...just knowing my children and grandchildren would come in to a nice clean home, was priceless. Staying up late, when my body said "no, don't do it, you'll be sorry," was totally worth it because it gave me the opportunity to spend some one on one time with my daughter. So yes, I'm hurting, but it's okay.

The rain today hasn't helped much. I've always heard it makes the joints ache and now I know that to be true, but even though my body is screaming out in agony, I can laugh louder than the rain. All these aches and pains...maybe they really aren't screaming out at me. Maybe they're just trying to remind me that I'm still alive and that life is a gift and I need to remember this truth.


Someone once said that life is like a sponge that is totally saturated with good things to enjoy. The harder we squeeze, the more life pours out onto us...well, I want to visualize myself squeezing every last bit of life from that sponge! I want to squeeze it so hard that it hurts.

Maybe it's not so much about being comfortable all the time...maybe it's more about thriving in the uncomfortable. Maybe it's about embracing the struggle instead of trying to find an easier way. I hope I will always remember to live life to the fullest and even when my body hurts, that I'll be listening when I hear it whispering, "be thankful you're alive!"

Indeed, my back is hurting and I would give anything for an adjustment right about now, but I'll take the pain and I'll be grateful for it because as long as I can still feel it...I'm still here and that's definitely a plus.

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