penandpatience

March News: check out “The Bell,” a non-fiction narrative published in the Quarterly Flash In the Pan segment of Tiny Lights.  www.tiny-lights.com  Click on Flash in the Pan

March 2013 Monthly Musing

“Motion is Lotion”

Two months ago I scheduled an outpatient procedure at an orthopedic center in upstate New York before heading south to sunny Florida for the winter months. Neck and back disc pain have been constant companions intermittently for some years now and periodic pain management techniques keep me chugging along.

However, after the nurse and I completed the necessary pre-procedure checklist and before she brought me into the medical suite, she asked what I did for exercise. A bit taken aback and put on the defensive, I said that I’ve been a walker for many years, I play golf, work in my garden and now and then I perform thirty minutes of cardio by “Walking Away the Pounds” with Leslie Sansone.

“Good.  Doctor’s favorite motto for most of his patients is “motion is lotion.”  Appropriate exercise will maintain and strengthen your muscles and help your back,” she said.  Motion is lotion–the words stuck in my head.

So here I sit writing the March Musing in tropical sunshine after thirty minutes of walking away the pounds with Leslie. Guilt–that’s what drove me to exercise this morning. I took a walk last week and just yesterday my partner and I played a round of golf (one birdie-two pars-and too many bogeys.) However, I realized that I’ve been exercising without any particular schedule to improve my fitness.

If I’m going to get more pars on the golf course; if I’m going to strengthen this tired torso, I must set up a disciplined action program to accomplish both. Ouch— I just remembered that I’ve approached my writing schedule in the same undisciplined manner as exercise. Guilty again!

Oh sure, I write and write often but too many times I  get caught up reading E-mails, magazine newsletters, writing tips and downloads before working on current projects. I’ve prided myself on the fact that I spend time each day on activities associated with writing. But there were days I didn’t write. A dedicated writer writes something, even a small something every day.  I needed to change this lackadaisical routine if I wanted to become a healthier and better writer.

Going forward, I decided to write every day even if it’s only a few sentences on a very busy day. I also made a commitment to perform some type of exercise each day. I would walk outdoors or indoors with Leslie’s CD, or play a round of golf, walking in lieu of riding in a cart whenever possible. And like it or hate it, household chores count as good exercise. Pushing that damn-p mop over the kitchen floor back and forth, motion is lotion, back and forth, motion is lotion, back and forth, motion is lotion……..works too:)