It feels like a new dawn in my world–coinciding with the beginning of a new year. At last, I feel like I’m over the hump of my hip adventures! Slowly, my strength, balance and energy are returning and I am feeling more like myself again. I didn’t realize how much energy this all took and how tired I was. 

I’m happy to say that Scott and I went cross country skiing on Monday! It was the first time in 2 years, another milestone of something I used to do and can now do again. I loved gliding over the snow, watching the sun sparkle like diamonds on a white blanket, winding through the trees with the skis “swoosh swooshing” beneath me. I felt strong and balanced–though my balance is now a little out to the side from where it was before. I also notice this in one-legged yoga poses. I used to hug in close to the mid-line of my body, keeping the weight off the outside of my hips, where unbeknownst to me, I had no functional hip joint. Now that I have hips, I have to remind myself to lean outwards over the joints. I have a new balance point. True on more than just the physical levels of my life.

Now seems to be a time of finding my new balance points from the yoga mat into my daily life. I’ve continued my morning Tai Chi, yoga and meditation practices. They center me into a deeper and quieter place from which to enter my day. I always ask to be of service to the larger good. Then the day unfolds and I am literally led to where I need to be and with whom. Some time in the afternoon, I break for a swim, yoga, or a walk to re-center again. 

Finding balance seems to be about coming into center, then engaging in a more outward way with the world and those around me, and then returning back to center. Over and over. Gone are the days of my youth, when I raced at full-tilt through a day, multi-tasking with an OCD ferocity. Looking back, that was exhausting. “Confusing activity with accomplishment” as Zig Ziglar used to say.

I’m also aware of how much time I spend in the future, the next moment, and not in the present moment. It occurs to me that this is how I’ve been missing my life. My hip adventures have helped to slow me down and be more present in the only moment I have–NOW.

As odd as it may sound, I am grateful for this whole experience. It has taught me so much and truly changed my life. My resolve now is not to forget what I’ve learned–to move forward with ease, strength and balance, all the while being present in each moment with an open heart.

It feels like it is time to write in this blog as things come up that I want to share along the way. For sure, I’ll do an update in May and November–my one year mark for my left hip and my annual checkup. Thanks for being along for the ride!