Keep Moving

I turned our downstairs into a track. No, I didn’t put down polyurethane or paint lines on the floor, but our downstairs forms a loop. When I first started walking in the house, or “hamstering,” as my kids called it, I felt pretty silly, but it’s the way I could walk in a controlled environment regardless of the weather outside here in Florida.

Most mornings I had time to walk, think and often pray as I listened to songs that helped me keep a steady pace. I placed a hash mark on a sheet of paper to keep count of the number of songs I walked to.

One day my husband asked, “Why do you do that?” He nodded toward my tally sheet.

“Because it helps me to reach my goal,” I said. A certain number of songs would indicate I’d accomplished my steps for the day. Goals were sometimes difficult to maintain while my focus was on caring for others. Also I noticed when I walked, my mood was better and my patience longer-lasting. As a caregiver to four kids and at times caring for my mother-in-law with Alzheimer’s, a little more patience is always good.

Often when I’m caring for others I forget about me. Walking, even in the house, helps me to take care of myself.