The Peregrino Body

So I have been talking about my feet and my legs and my thighs a lot. I think though, that this is probably the first time that I realise that the body is so important to me. Working in hospital you realise how easy it is for the body to break down and stop working. Just one thing can offset all the rest and recognising the fragility is different when safe in hospital and it's happening to other people, as to when it's happening to you.

In the past couple of months, since my last camino really, I have been only exercising one organ, my brain. Most of the time I've been just stressing out and that has set off my body. Sir Ken Robinson once said that people just see their body as a method transport to get their brain to meetings.

But now, with nothing (much) stressing my mind, I have been more aware of my body's needs. I am still being transported to meetings, but the distance is much farther, and the meetings un scheduled, with no expectations and often involving café con leche or vino tinto. It's a complete reversal, and now I'm worrying about my body.

They say that all the hurts vanish after a week. That you become fit and ready to face the world. It is really the way we are designed to work. Back when we were hunter gatherers, the clan would walk and walk gathering food along the way until new hunting grounds were found, then the hunters sprinted to get the food. The long walk was part of who we were and I think it is still in there somewhere deep in the cerebellum. While we walk from village to village instead of clearing to clearing, pick up chocolate croissants and fruit instead of berries and roots and the final sprint is for the last bed to rest our heads, there are some familiar echoes in what we are doing.

When I lie down at night I can feel every muscle pull, every tendon relax and constrict. I think how I can prevent the pain by strapping and binding and protecting every weak point.

It makes you vulnerable, open to damage and aware of all your weakness. And the more you strap the more people become aware. All your injuries and frailties become medals of honour after a while, when you get to proudly list off your wounds.

But at night, or on the road alone, or in the deepest moments of silence you can hear your bones protesting, or rejoicing, for finally for the first time, being used the way they were supposed to.

Xx

Buen Camino

PS: from here on there shall be a new segment entitled Siobhán's Babbles

Siobhán's Babbles

Nitwit
Blubber
Oddment
Tweak

That is all.

X

S&G