Movement Therapy

It’s been a rough few months for me.  After our son Zachary died this year I spent a great deal of time focusing on the joys that he brought to our life.  I had to or else it would be too easy to crawl into a ball and hide from the world.  And cry.  Lots and lots of crying. Work in particular became tough just because it’s a place where I need to keep it under control and be professional.  Actually that’s not even true.  I can keep it relatively under control but professionalism isn’t really my thing.  Sarcasm is.  And humor.  But I found myself having quite a few rough days at work in the last several weeks.  We had expected Zachary to arrive by Thanksgiving at the latest so getting over that hurdle was a major step in my grief.  On Thanksgiving weekend I was really dreading going back to work and carrying on a normal life. That is, until I had the BEST idea. 

It’s cartwheels.  Yup, cartwheels.  There is no way possible you can be sad while doing cartwheels.  So I’ve been doing them.  A lot.  At work.  Every day.  Anytime there is no one around, I do a cartwheel.  Mostly in our break room area.  Or if I think I don’t have time or the appropriate attire for a cartwheel I do full turns or split leaps.  Last week I did several fouette turns in a row because I couldn't hear anyone coming and then I got a bit dizzy and had to walk back to my office while shaking it off a bit.  Yup, I’ve just been cartwheeling and twirling and leaping all over our office and no one knows it (I think).  As of yet I don’t think I’ve been caught.  I do them while I’m making copies or when I check my mail.  Sometimes I just go to the break room to see if no one is around so I can get a quick cartwheel or leap in.  It’s just really hard to be sad and distracted after being upside down. 

Score one for movement therapy!  It’s so healing.