What is mindfulness?
At first, I imagined a giant brain with steam coming off it while I lassoed the slimy creature to slow it down. It didn’t work as you can well imagine.
Since the kids moved in (while waiting for their new home to close,) I have been particularly busy. Last night it took me a good ten minutes to get from my bedroom to the kitchen and back. I’d forgotten to take my meds so, hopping out of bed; I opened my bedroom door to be greeted by granddaughter #1. She was on a time out in her room. She asked for a cookie and I told her I’d get it, when granddaughter #2 came out of her room to inform me she was scared. I followed her into her bedroom and looked around. Eventually, I came to understand she was afraid of Ursula, the villain in The Little Mermaid. I fast forwarded the DVD and got ready to go. Before I left, she asked for a cookie, too.
I kissed my littlest, and last grandchild on the top of the head and promised I’d get her a cookie and no monsters were allowed in my house. Ever. My wide and airy hallway beckoned. I took a few steps and ran into my son. He wanted to make sure I knew the granddaughters were manipulating me. I figured as much and told him so, but they were still going to get their cookies because I’d promised.
This time I made it another few steps before running into my daughter-in-law who was coming out of the restroom. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked a wee bit harried. I asked if she was okay and she nodded. She informed me she’d just had a banana popsicle and couldn’t be better. Poor thing, she had a rough day meeting with the inspectors and signing the paperwork.
I made it into the kitchen where I couldn’t remember exactly why I’d needed to be here. Oh, yeah,I reminded myself, my medication. I grabbed my meds and swallowed them then headed back down the hall. I was immediately accosted by the granddaughters, both sticking their heads out of their bedrooms. They wanted to know, where were their cookies?
I sighed and headed back into the kitchen. The chocolate chip cookies were rather big so I got a half of one for granddaughter #2 and a whole one for #1. Finally, my bedroom beckoned.
Of course, my daughter-in-law had already brushed their teeth and both the kids were ready for bed. My cookie adventure meant they would have to rebrush and getting a three year-old to rebrush isn’t easy. But they did, and were now tucked safely into their beds.
My little adventure down the hallway to take my Crohn’s meds was met by a multitude of obstacles, the wants, and needs of my youngest son’s family. Of course, he stood in the living room, arms crossed, a big fat smile across his face as I hurried through my tasks so I could get to bed.
When I finally made it back into the bedroom, my husband asked, “Where have you been?”
“Well.” I stopped. To try to explain would take too long and I was pooped. “I forgot to take my pills.”
“Okay.” He turned up the TV to mask the singing of Ariel in the other bedroom.
I don’t usually live like this. Generally, it’s my husband for companionship with drop ins by son #1 and his family. Now, son #2 was moving to the foothills due to a new job. They’d bought a house just a few houses down from son #1. All the cousins are excited to go to school together, the daughters-in-law are good friends and the boys have each other again. Could a mother (in-law) be happier?
What I didn’t do last night was obsess over every little feeling, every twinge of pain, and every moan of my gut. Did I still hurt? Yes. Did I still have to use the restroom every ten minutes? Yep.
Mindfulness can be a meditation technique or it can be moving ones focus from the disease, to other people, especially the little people in our lives. There is nothing more beautiful, more perfect, than grandchildren, at least in my opinion.
(((hugs)))
Louann
At first, I imagined a giant brain with steam coming off it while I lassoed the slimy creature to slow it down. It didn’t work as you can well imagine.
Since the kids moved in (while waiting for their new home to close,) I have been particularly busy. Last night it took me a good ten minutes to get from my bedroom to the kitchen and back. I’d forgotten to take my meds so, hopping out of bed; I opened my bedroom door to be greeted by granddaughter #1. She was on a time out in her room. She asked for a cookie and I told her I’d get it, when granddaughter #2 came out of her room to inform me she was scared. I followed her into her bedroom and looked around. Eventually, I came to understand she was afraid of Ursula, the villain in The Little Mermaid. I fast forwarded the DVD and got ready to go. Before I left, she asked for a cookie, too.
I kissed my littlest, and last grandchild on the top of the head and promised I’d get her a cookie and no monsters were allowed in my house. Ever. My wide and airy hallway beckoned. I took a few steps and ran into my son. He wanted to make sure I knew the granddaughters were manipulating me. I figured as much and told him so, but they were still going to get their cookies because I’d promised.
This time I made it another few steps before running into my daughter-in-law who was coming out of the restroom. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked a wee bit harried. I asked if she was okay and she nodded. She informed me she’d just had a banana popsicle and couldn’t be better. Poor thing, she had a rough day meeting with the inspectors and signing the paperwork.
I made it into the kitchen where I couldn’t remember exactly why I’d needed to be here. Oh, yeah,I reminded myself, my medication. I grabbed my meds and swallowed them then headed back down the hall. I was immediately accosted by the granddaughters, both sticking their heads out of their bedrooms. They wanted to know, where were their cookies?
I sighed and headed back into the kitchen. The chocolate chip cookies were rather big so I got a half of one for granddaughter #2 and a whole one for #1. Finally, my bedroom beckoned.
Of course, my daughter-in-law had already brushed their teeth and both the kids were ready for bed. My cookie adventure meant they would have to rebrush and getting a three year-old to rebrush isn’t easy. But they did, and were now tucked safely into their beds.
My little adventure down the hallway to take my Crohn’s meds was met by a multitude of obstacles, the wants, and needs of my youngest son’s family. Of course, he stood in the living room, arms crossed, a big fat smile across his face as I hurried through my tasks so I could get to bed.
When I finally made it back into the bedroom, my husband asked, “Where have you been?”
“Well.” I stopped. To try to explain would take too long and I was pooped. “I forgot to take my pills.”
“Okay.” He turned up the TV to mask the singing of Ariel in the other bedroom.
I don’t usually live like this. Generally, it’s my husband for companionship with drop ins by son #1 and his family. Now, son #2 was moving to the foothills due to a new job. They’d bought a house just a few houses down from son #1. All the cousins are excited to go to school together, the daughters-in-law are good friends and the boys have each other again. Could a mother (in-law) be happier?
What I didn’t do last night was obsess over every little feeling, every twinge of pain, and every moan of my gut. Did I still hurt? Yes. Did I still have to use the restroom every ten minutes? Yep.
Mindfulness can be a meditation technique or it can be moving ones focus from the disease, to other people, especially the little people in our lives. There is nothing more beautiful, more perfect, than grandchildren, at least in my opinion.
(((hugs)))
Louann
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