I am thinking of all you RoL’ers out there who have been isolated on and off for many years due to your breast cancer treatments as you continue taking care of beautiful Y-O-U! I am also thinking of all the caregivers who are doing things to help you better cope.
The Corona Virus is affecting our entire world. And while this pandemic may separate us physically, we are still connected. We have our memories. We have photographs and literature. We have books to read. We have our art. We have our music. And we have current technology–even snail mail–to reach out. Our present circumstances can spark our imagination, creativity and our intelligence.
We can put our personal life lessons to immediate use by reflecting on what actions were taken when going through a life-changing adversity. As we stay smart and stay home, we can be grateful to have a roof over our heads with food to sustain us–all while keeping in mind ways we can contribute to those less fortunate.
Staying at hope has caused me to create two new yoga stretching positions. I am happy to share them with you as they serve as a metaphor for facing life’s challenges. Since we are learning to bend with this new change from the pandemic, why not bend physically, mentally and spiritually?
I call my first yoga move, “The Elephant”. Bend over (if you can) and hang your arms down while your joining your hands. Stretch side-to-side like you have one big elephant trunk. This can be as fun as it can be relaxing. Why not make noises and walk in this position? And if you have kids, they may enjoy doing it with you.
My next yoga position, I named “The Pendulum”. While in your elephant position, let go of your hands and swing them back and forth in the same direction. Then move them in opposite directions and then towards each other. At last, use your arms to form an “infinity” pendulum. These rotations can be relaxing and meditative while breathing in and out in the presence of time. You can add some calming music as you stretch your arms and back muscles. Do whatever you prefer. And who knows, maybe this type of stretching will make you taller! (LOL). For the past few days, I have been doing these stretches. They relax and revitalize me while staying at home. And you can perform them in any room in your home. I do my elephant and pendulum moves in the kitchen. living room, bedroom, in my Zen Den—even in Bob’s Man Cave, which can be quite the entertainment for him!
Changes in our lives are not always welcome. Yet, change is part of each and every life. You have the ability. The ability to accept changes and do something proactive for you to get through them. For me, changes in my life, whether welcome or not, have presented me with opportunities to “bend” and “stretch” my mind, body and spirit transforming me into who I am today. Trust me, once you learn to bend with self-distancing to keep you and others safe, you can find new ways to still reach out or silently create something quite incredible.
It is my hope (and Bob’s) that you will recognize those many opportunities that are available to you at home. Which points me to another exercise. Think and/or jot down those unwelcome changes that provided you with unexpected opportunities. These memories may have separated you from others, while introducing or becoming closer to others. I have often thought if I had not accepted the opportunity that that came my way after my first breast cancer diagnosis, there would be no Ribbons of Life. What opportunities presented themselves when you were diagnosed? If you are open to sharing them with me, I am open to receiving them. Each of you inspire me. Each of you have your own talents. And each of you are special to me.
Social separation is not the end of the world. It is the beginning of us facing a new one. And while it may seem abnormal, I have been questioning what is “normal” for many years. We are not dishwashers, people! We are who we are, and we have been given gifts that are best discovered through change. Whether good, bad or indifferent, by using your “Actitude”, which I define as taking action using a positive attitude, you can get through this as you continue creating your own special legacy to the world of which you are a part. If trees can bend to the wind, so can we.
Please share your individual stories with me when you needed to bend while facing an your adversities. Although Bob and I now live in New Hampshire, we remain connected to each and every one of you within our loving Ribbons of Life family. Feel free to email your stories to me at: venturalisa@sbcglobal.net as I continue to be “in touch” with each and every one of you. And if you would like, grant me permission to share them with others with or without identifying your name. Perhaps you will bend while considering this as an opportunity for you to make someone else’s world brighter.
XO, – Lisa Barreto (Bob, too!)