Recently, I was speaking to a colleague about the meaning of her work as a physical therapist and she stated, "I embrace a philosophy that 'Movement is life.'" This idea resonated as I continued to reflect upon this throughout this week.

As I left work that day, I noticed how stress had accumulated in my body. My back ached from sitting too long at the computer. The couch beckoned, "Come, rest a while, put your feet up. Ahhhh….." The longer I laid there the more achy and blah I felt. Yet, on the nights I went to yoga, to stretch and move and work tired muscles, the stress of the day was released. Yoga teaches us to coordinate our poses with the movement of our breath. As we breathe in healing energy we release our stress, anxiety and fears. Afterwards, I felt refreshed, relaxed and grateful that I gifted myself in this way.

Interestingly, we all know the benefits of exercise. As we increase our movement our mood raises, physically we feel stronger and spiritually more grounded. Movement energizes. Conversely, if we succumb to inertia the more tired we feel, our body weakens and we want to be sedentary. It is a tiresome cycle.

When I am in a groove of moving regularly I enjoy the benefits. Then some life events occurs that disrupts the routine. Now I expect it, and I just start moving again, however slowly, as momentum builds. 

Friday was the last day at the hub of our healthcare office. Monday we will arrive at a new location to begin a new chapter. It was sweet to see how colleagues took group 'selfies' and made gestures to mark the threshold; the leave taking. I realize how important it is to pause and to acknowledge what has been before moving on to new beginnings.

A team member in our little department offered a personal reflection. Five of us stood in a circle as distractions and sound whirled about us.  Quietly we listened as she spoke of the many prayers that had been offered throughout the years that we spent building our home care ministry. The prayers we prayed for patients, families, friends, and each other. The prayers we prayed for getting through difficult times as well as prayers of thanksgiving. Then she read a beautiful passage from psalms and concluded with a prayer of blessings. It was affirming, reverent and honoring of all the people that had poured their hearts and souls into their daily work. We all hugged and the movement began again. We continued packing and readied ourselves to move forward.

Movement is life.

Contributed by Liz Sorensen Wessel

Pastel drawing by ~liz