A different day
One: Clothes. Loose, comfy and warm.Two: Wear no metal.Three: 2 Litres of water.Tuesdays are different from other days.Slow down. Divert from the usual. I have to be purposeful and deliberate.At first it was really inconvenient. It takes mental energy and extra time. It messes up my usual morning pace and flow.Round up my metal-free clothes: Stretchy, comfy yoga pants. Socks. Tank with non-adjustable straps. Light colored t-shirt. Pull-over hoodie. No zippers, no underwires, no jewelry. I'm mindful as I put on my wedding rings that I need to remember to remove them. I'm careful to count the bobby pins as I put them in so I can make sure they all come out again. I fill my 32oz water bottle and make sure I drink the full bottle then refill for another.On Tuesdays I get treatment on a machine that needs me to be metal-free, have high water volume and lay still for an hour.Oh I LOVE it. An hour alone. Soothing music. Lights dim. Killing the bugs. Most weeks I fall asleep under a warm soft blanket.But even more than that relaxing hour, I love the preparation. I love the mindfulness. I love having to think about my every step.Life can become so full of auto-pilot routines. I love the different pace that comes from the inconvenience of my Tuesdays.I think about marriage as I mindfully put on my wedding rings. Other days I just put them on without a thought.I think about my health and my earthiness as I drink the water. Other days I take life for granted.I think about the sweetness of our kids as I lay in a room void of their chatter. Other days are too busy to take the time to contemplate simple joys.I think about so many things that get crowded out on other days.There is something really awesome about special preparation days.Like Sundays used to be in days gone by. When people dressed in their "Sunday Best" for church. There is something special and sweet about that time of preparation.Like Christmas or birthdays. Days with special rituals and deep meanings.Like a wedding day. Days full of preparation and difference.I love the gift that Tuesdays have given me: An out of the norm mindfulness. A day of difference. A day of slower pace.This week my nurse asked me what gifts this illness has given me. Her question irritated me. Why should I have to find anything good in this? Honestly, I couldn't think of one. I can see a few silver linings to the dark clouds but nothing I would define as a "gift." Mostly, it's simply a terrible illness and I'm not at all happy about it.Today is Wednesday and I've been thinking about her question for 24 hours. And in my rush of a Wednesday, I've been thinking about the beauty of Tuesdays. I guess my new routine on Tuesday mornings are a gift. I can't wait till I'm done with this battle. But when it's over, I think I'll miss my mindful Tuesdays. A bonus time of "selah" mid-week._ _ _How are you? Do you have something in your life that forces you to be mindful in different ways?Want to read through the Bible with me? Today's readings are: Psalm 91; Acts 3:1-26