[2021-11-25] How I respond
Today has been an up and down day, though mostly up.
On the upside, I spent an enjoyable few hours reading and responding to the hundreds of messages I received yesterday and today on my Retirement Day post. I marveled at how many people I had met over the course of my career and life, including people I have come to know through sharing my story.
On the downside, I continue to experience discomfort as I slowly recover from last week's surgery. I'm usually one of those people who is ahead of the curve, exceeding the expectations of health professionals for how quickly I bounce back from medical interventions. As a typically resilient person—both physically and mentally—I have high expectations for my body to heal itself. Not surprisingly, then, I'm frustrated to not yet be back in the saddle.
But I reminded myself this evening that life is full of challenges. It's not what befalls me that determines the quality of my life but how I choose to respond. I am lucky to have family members who care about and for me. With few obligations, I don't have to feel guilty that I'm letting down coworkers or others as my recovery drags on. And I can take pride in having finally learned to slow down and let my body heal (even if this is something I have to relearn every day).
