Hey Gems! I wanted to take a moment to share a little bit about what’s going on in my life lately. The past few weeks have been life altering for both my business and my everyday life. The phrase “you don’t appreciate it until it’s gone” has been on my mind and I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my current reality. On Easter Sunday I broke my wrist long boarding…I know, super metal!
Navigating through the physical pain and emotional ups and downs has reminded me of how special life truly is and how amazing our bodies are. This time away from my studio has also taught me a lot about myself. Being unable to create jewelry has been a challenge for me. Through this challenge, I’ve realized the fulfillment creating art and jewelry brings to my life. I am so blessed to have a creative mind and the skill and passion to create my ideas.
Being unable to do simple everyday tasks like cooking, showering or tending to my garden has also been a challenge. It has forced me to slow down, ask for help and has given me an awareness of how I took these things for granted in the past. THANKFULLY, I did not break my right hand, so I have still been able to use my dominant hand. This experience has taught me how precious our bodies are. They are a vessel for our soul, and life truly is a balance of mind, body and spirit.
This is How it is Now
My friends and family have been asking me how I am doing, and honestly, I have been great! If someone had asked me this same question a year ago, my answer would have been completely different. Why? I can thank a few people and life experiences for this. The first person that came to my mind in the emergency room when they told me my radius was broken, was my Buddhist teacher, Mark Nunberg. “I can’t swim anymore. I can’t use ‘never have I ever broken a bone’ anymore. When will I be able to make jewelry again? I have to cancel my spot at Benson First Friday and the Farmers Market.” All these thoughts were running through my head, tears were running down my cheek, but then I heard Mark, “This is how it is now.” I kept repeating this as the negative thoughts entered my mind, this is how it is now, this is how it is now. My wrist is broken, this is how it is now. Focusing on the negative will not fix my wrist. Falling victim to suffering will not change what happened.
After facing reality and repeating this mantra, all I can do now is focus on healing. I had six different surgeons take a look at my x-ray and all six recommended I get surgery so my wrist heals in the correct position. Along with surgery and western medicine, I conducted additional research about body/bone health on the internet and from two books my sister had gifted me.
Instead of putting my energy into the negativity of the situation, I put my energy into changing my diet and taking care of my body. I focused on cutting out as many inflammatory foods as possible. I then added specific foods, herbs and supplements to my diet that support bone health. This is how it is now, I have bones to heal.
I learned a lot of fascinating information while studying. Did you know that Spirulina algae has similar components to human milk? Weird right? I also learned that the top three most calcium potent foods come from the sea. If you really are what you eat, I’m on my way to becoming a mermaid.
Changing Perspectives – Getting Sentimental
I’m looking forward to the moment when I can get back in the pool. Swimming has been a big part of my life. I was going off the diving board before age two, and I was a competitive swimmer for 14 years, but now swimming has a different role in my life. My swim coach (RIP Kim) always said, “let the water wash away your worries.” This has phrase has stuck with me and now I know what she meant. I didn’t understand this at the time because we were expected to swim 12 plus hours a week, that’s about 18 miles. Burn out. I calculated an estimate of about how many days I spent in the pool practicing from age 8 to 22. I basically have spent a whole year of my life, 365 days, 8,760 hours in the pool swimming laps or competing. Crazy!
The point of this story is that swimming is still very important in my life, but my perspective has completely changed. A big part of this change might be that I can enjoy swimming at my own free will without the pressure of getting in yards, cutting time or satisfying a coach. I do miss the competitive aspects of swimming, but now, swimming is my meditation. It’s an incredible experience being present in the water. I can feel it flow across my body, I feel the resistance, the weightless. It’s almost like flying. You move slower through water than through the air so it’s easier to become more present. I then shift my awareness to the breath work aspect of swimming. The constant filling and emptying of my lungs, the fresh oxygen cycling through my bloodstream, is another reminder of what it feels like to be alive.
I am thankful for the teachers and mentors in my life. Sometimes even friends or life events act as blessings in disguise. The challenging parts of your life teach you important lessons and help you grow. Throughout life you will notice that you see the same thing in a different light, that is growth. Although having a broken wrist is not ideal for my handmade jewelry business and everyday life, I am thankful for my new appreciation of life and my body. I am thankful for the blessings I have, and I now see clearer than before the magic of handmade items. Thanks for reading!
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