Mason Jar Warriors

One scorching, burning light infernally infusing every corner

On a deep southern evening

Finally releasing its grip and melting into  

Pulses of cool, bright light

Beckoning the barefooted, mason jar warriors

From their air conditioned perches.

Sweaty, grimy small fingers grasping gently the glow of their prey

Expertly captivating their brightly, pulsing game into glass prison lanterns.

Clamp, clink, screw.

Prisoners are secure.

A temporary lantern throbbing constantly and

Desperately.

A Bright call for love goes unanswered

And finally begins to fade once held.

ROBES: A POEM

ROBES

On my doorstep was her robe. 

Just her robe and not her.

She was gone…..the last one.

The robe stayed.

She did not.

That old path of pain

Like that song I can no longer bear to hear beating against my

Emotions.

The rush of images long forgotten coming alive

Against my will.  Here and now.

I did not chose it—for the robes to stay while their owners

Turned to ghosts

And left me to grieve.

I would not have chosen for the robes to lose their

Warmth—to lose their owners.

Yet here they are.  Remaining.  Remains.

Folded up mirrors of the people who once found solace and comfort in those

Pieces of cloth—those warm colors and silky layers.

Fabric bodies with no form,

Just laying there, still.  No more breath.

Yet still carrying vestiges of perfume and shaving cream.

Somewhere in the past they spring to life moving, staying up late, talking, laughing, Crying,

Solving the world’s problems.

Bringing an accent to the snuggle in a grandfather’s arms.

Getting ready to celebrate.

Losing the fight.

Finally sleeping.

Do I wear the robes?

Do I throw them out?

Do I put them in a closet out of eyesight left there to die slowly? 

None of them stayed.

They all went away.

They are all gone.

Robes are here and so am I.

Sticking with the Program

It’s February, 2012.  I started a plant-based diet on October 15, 2011 based on reading the book The China Study and watching the documentary Forks Over Knives.  Over the past four months, my health has bloomed, I’ve lost weight, have more energy and can think more clearly. My journey to health began in October, 2010 when I started attending “Yoglates” classes at Yoglates II South.  At that time I was plagued with so many aches, pains and illnesses that I could barely move.  Yoglates II relieved me of most of my symptoms of fibromyalgia and chronic pain from herniated discs in my back and neck.  Then, once I started the plant based diet four months ago that includes a very rich diet of all vegetables and fruits of any kind (no meat or dairy), all of my gastrointestinal pains and symptoms vanished, my energy increased and those last remnants of fibromyalgia disappeared.  It seems too good to be true. Actually, I haven’t felt this good since before I had my first child in 1990!!!!  Is this for real?  Needing only 6 or 7 hours of sleep, I can sleep all night and feel refreshed when I wake up! 

            This lifestyle, however, is not a quick fix.  Rather, there are small changes over time that add up to huge benefits.  For instance, the first three months that I started Yoglates, the aches and pains sometimes increased as my body fought back.  However, I kept telling myself that Yoglates was my last chance at feeling better.  (I had exhausted all of the modern medical alternatives available to me.  I had seen all of the doctors and taken all of the pills—those didn’t work.) So, I kept pressing forward.  When I started practicing Yoglates, I made a commitment to myself that I would “stick with the Yoglates program” for a year.  After that, if it didn’t work, I could resign myself to a life of misery, but not before!!!  Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead….I kept pressing forward.  After that first three months, I began noticing subtle changes in my pain level, energy level, etc.  Once the year was past, I realized that Yoglates had become my medicine that I could never go without.

            When October, 2011 rolled around and I realized that a year had passed I was ready for the next level of health.  Voila!  The plant based diet is another commitment that I have resolved I will not give up for a year.  The first four months have been incredible.  I am not giving up.  I’ll let you know in October, 2012 my final analysis.  In the meantime……

            I am penning this blog to keep a log of my progress and remind myself how far I have come.  My plant-based diet along with practicing Yoglates has been an incredible journey opening up avenues of health that I thought were out of my reach at the age of 45.  I think I’ll stick with the program.

Vegan? Me????

Veganism never appealed to me.  Until now.  After battling fibromyalgia and reaching the point that I feel like I have overcome the searing pain that haunted me for so many years (see My Yoglates II South Story) , I have decided that I want ALL of me back.  What does that mean?  I have been married for 21 years, have given birth to 4 children, and have been on the 21st century treadmill--work, sleep, eat (repeat) . And, oh, by the way, I have gained 40 pounds since getting married.  In addition, I have been suffering with recurring stomach pain--diagnosed with IBS.  (A walking medical journal.) An interesting combination of tenacity and patience have led me to the conclusion that veganism might be a really great way to improve my health and mental function.  Won't hurt.  Might help.

Now I am on a journey.  It's only been 3 weeks, but my thinking is clearer and I have more energy.  NO MORE STOMACH PAINS.  I am following vegancoach.com and will be reading a documentay book called Forks over Knives,  to get a better picture of what veganism should look like.  Not interested in the political implications of veganism....just the health.

Praying for the best. 

Killing the Couch Potato Within

White noise begging us to come play--NOW!  Americans, the classic 21st century creativity killer has been reduced from the size of our bedrooms to the size of the palm of our hands. Our rectangle shaped mind candy beckons us to a world of electronic distractions few of which will cause us to CREATE anything.   Will I miss my purpose here because I am numbed out playing Words with Friends or skimming my new guilty pleasure, vegancoach.com?  Last nigtht, I  had already slid into bed when I realized I had forgotten to kennel the dogs and set the house alarm.  Doesn't my droid have an app for that???  A chill ran down my spine when I realized that if my droid did have a "Kennel your Dog/Turn on the House Alarm" app, I would have used it. Has the couch potato won??   

Only when I can declare:  "Couch Potato, RIP" will the zenith of my God-given creativity be realized.  Amen.

My Yoglates II South Story

The first year anniversary celebrating the opening of the Yoglates II South Studio is actually a personal celebration for me.  I began practicing Yoglates at South during the first week that it was opened.  It has changed my life.

    Beginning in 2005, following the tragedies of Hurricane Katrina, I began experiencing strange changes in my body.  Fatigue, tiredness and a feeling like I had the beginning of a flu bug became my daily cross to bear.  Nothing helped.  My health went into a downward spiral.   My joints began to swell and I began experiencing gastrointestinal problems.  I underwent all the tests the doctors could run.  My final diagnosis: Fibromyalgia. 

    As a lawyer, I have represented clients diagnosed with Fibromyalgia who would come into my office and share with me the constant pain and daily burden.  At that point, I had almost resigned myself to the fact that I would never recover.  Discouragement and a fear that I would never be the same loomed over my head.

    During 2009-2010, in an attempt to ease my symptoms, I began a strict gluten-free diet believing that maybe I had a wheat allergy, i.e., celiac disease.  I was committed and learned how to be a pretty good gluten-free cook.  (Blueberry muffins, crawfish ettouffee, and brown gravy were challenges on a gluten-free diet, but I learned to make these yummy dishes and more.)  This diet made me feel better, but I was still having bouts of debilitating pain.  A final medical test determined that I did not have celiacs disease.

    In the summer of 2010, I was with my family in Taos, New Mexico where my husband, Kevin, and our three children love to visit.  However, this particular visit was excruciatingly painful.  I could only walk very short distances, and my movements were strained.  I sat next to a clear, cold mountain stream in the Taos Ski Valley and began to cry.  My heart broke.  The miles of hiking, fishing, and just the simple act of sitting by a stream were almost impossible because of the unbearable pain that haunted me.  I told my husband that I felt like I was going to die.....All he could do was hug me.  He knew how hard I was working to be well.

    Because no medicine worked, the rheumotologist that I was seeing told me to begin exercising and practicing something like yoga or pilates.  This seemed counter-intuitive to me.  I was too embarrassed to go into a studio because of how limited my movements had become.  My former strong, muscular body had now become tight---so tight I could barely touch my toes.

    My very dear friend, April Hill, kept encouraging me along the way.  She had been practicing Yoglates for years and knew the benefits, but I refused to go.  I was afraid. 

    Finally, when April opened the studio last year, I signed up for some individual instruction with April.  I will never, ever forget my first day in the Yoglates studio.  I had just had another round of invasive tests the day before, and I wasn't feeling great but was determined not to cancel.  The studio was warm.  My first half moon was painful, but something down deep inside of me felt soothed.  The warmth coupled with the deep stretching was like medicine to my body. April's voice with no outside distraction moved me through the routine.  Focus became easier the warmer and the more my muscles worked.  The rhythm was just right.......I was hooked.

    During the month of October 2010, I began attending Yoglates II classes on a regular basis.  Little by little, the flu-like pain that had gripped my body for so long began subsiding.  I began having fewer days where I felt desperation from pain.  On the days that I was in pain, I would remember the reality that the Yoglates II classes were the ONLY thing that would soothe that jagged, rough edge--it had become my medicine.  After several months, the realization that I WAS BACK was hard to believe.  The me that had energy and a joie de vivre had actually reemerged.

    I went back to Taos this past July, 2011.  I sat by that same clear mountain stream where I had hung my head and sobbed the year before.  I looked at my husband, Kevin, and my eyes filled with tears.  This time I was crying tears of joy.  "I have my life back,"  I said as I looked up at him.  Kevin smiled and took a picture of me.  I think he is just as thankful as I am!

    Happy Birthday, Yoglates II South!!!!!!!!!