As I come into the seventies my body shows very clearly how, when I was younger, I took for granted that I could enjoy exercise and do anything I wanted. Now my knees no longer have the flexibility and bounce that they once had, so attempting to demonstrate how to use a skipping rope with grandchildren leaves me in a tangle with leaden ankles. |
My feet no longer permit wearing ‘fashionable’ shoes with high heels or I will make an undignified crumple to the ground on an uneven surface. My eyes now take a bit longer to adjust to near or distant objects and skin that once fitted smoothly over my body has lost much of its elasticity – with wrinkles to prove it. There is no external or internal part of the body that does not show the wear and tear of ageing; connective tissue tightens with age and the volume of water that makes up the body slowly decreases.
My body makes it patently obvious that I have a responsibility to take loving care of it if I want to be able to move freely in my older years. I may eat a lot of spinach but there is no call to have bulging biceps like Popeye, but there is purpose in keeping fit to ensure freedom of movement. What I eat and drink, and how much, is one way to care for the internal workings of my body. All parts of the body use water to work properly, and so by drinking water throughout the day this supports my body to function.
As a young child I ran, skipped and jumped just because I could, but with the passing of the years I move with less suppleness, and gradually realise that walking is the most supportive fitness rhythm for my body. And if knees are feeling particularly creaky and out for a walk over rough or uneven ground, then I walk with the support of walking poles.
An essential part of my daily rhythm is to join an online Movefit exercise class, which is a fun way to observe how my body is rebuilding and maintaining strength and flexibility. At the start of the programme, it was ‘Abs? What are they?’ but as these taken-for-granted muscles wake up, I realise that this is supporting my whole body and building resilience to painful falls – with the overwhelm in the National Health Service and frequent delays of over four hours wait for an ambulance, there is an added reason to not become another statistic.
As I slow down, I appreciate the wonders of nature that are always there to remind me of the Divine beauty that we are a part of: a raindrop on a leaf reflecting the light, an ant nest with the message that when we all work together as one we can move mountains. A butterfly alighting on a flower to sip nectar is a reminder of the delicate beauty that I feel when I move in tune with nature. While out for a walk, a glimpse of a sensitive Roe deer shows there is a gracefulness in movement.
I may have slowed down physically, but I am as active as I was twenty years ago, but my movements are with a conscious awareness to move with gentleness and respect of my body.
As I deepen into the delicacy and fragility of my seventies there is so much to appreciate and to be aware of – the wisdom that is forever on offer, with open eyes and open heart to listen and celebrate the truth of the multidimensionality of who we all are.
Mary A., UK
If you enjoyed this article you may also like to read:
Exercise as Daily Medicine
My body makes it patently obvious that I have a responsibility to take loving care of it if I want to be able to move freely in my older years. I may eat a lot of spinach but there is no call to have bulging biceps like Popeye, but there is purpose in keeping fit to ensure freedom of movement. What I eat and drink, and how much, is one way to care for the internal workings of my body. All parts of the body use water to work properly, and so by drinking water throughout the day this supports my body to function.
As a young child I ran, skipped and jumped just because I could, but with the passing of the years I move with less suppleness, and gradually realise that walking is the most supportive fitness rhythm for my body. And if knees are feeling particularly creaky and out for a walk over rough or uneven ground, then I walk with the support of walking poles.
An essential part of my daily rhythm is to join an online Movefit exercise class, which is a fun way to observe how my body is rebuilding and maintaining strength and flexibility. At the start of the programme, it was ‘Abs? What are they?’ but as these taken-for-granted muscles wake up, I realise that this is supporting my whole body and building resilience to painful falls – with the overwhelm in the National Health Service and frequent delays of over four hours wait for an ambulance, there is an added reason to not become another statistic.
As I slow down, I appreciate the wonders of nature that are always there to remind me of the Divine beauty that we are a part of: a raindrop on a leaf reflecting the light, an ant nest with the message that when we all work together as one we can move mountains. A butterfly alighting on a flower to sip nectar is a reminder of the delicate beauty that I feel when I move in tune with nature. While out for a walk, a glimpse of a sensitive Roe deer shows there is a gracefulness in movement.
I may have slowed down physically, but I am as active as I was twenty years ago, but my movements are with a conscious awareness to move with gentleness and respect of my body.
As I deepen into the delicacy and fragility of my seventies there is so much to appreciate and to be aware of – the wisdom that is forever on offer, with open eyes and open heart to listen and celebrate the truth of the multidimensionality of who we all are.
Mary A., UK
If you enjoyed this article you may also like to read:
Exercise as Daily Medicine