When the body says 'what the hell is your problem?'

I've learned something interesting about myself this weekend.

I was asked to start working for family on Wed. and on Thursday I was in the office. But by Friday I called it quits. Yes, perhaps I am a bit of a quitter--just ask my ex's--but it was MORE than that. My body was saying for me what I couldn't say with my voice: I don't want to do this.

I'm in a very clear season of studying and preparing to take my midwifery exams in February. In fact, it's so clear to me that I'm supposed to be focused on my education that I've stepped down from a couple things I've been involved in and turned down offers to get involved in new things.

Yet when this job came along with it's nice hourly wage and perks I thought why shouldn't I take this job? It would be illogical to NOT take this job. I SHOULD take this job. My father would want me to--he would think it was the right thing.
But in my gut, what's left of it, I knew I didn't need to and shouldn't take this job because I had made a commitment to my education and nothing should distract me.

But I went into work--it was fun. I had a good time for a first day and things looked really promising until the next day when my body said 'no'.
That's a book by the way--a very highly recommended and fascinating book about stress and how the body will say 'no' for us when we don't have the courage to say it ourselves. Check it out--When the Body Says No by Gabor Mate.

Anyway. This is a cool discovery for me and I think it's interesting how the body is so intertwined with the conscience and heart that it will speak out on its behalf if necessary. I know this isn't a phenomenon just isolated to me--I know we all experience it in different ways. So I encourage you to check this book/link out.

On the note of health--I'm finally seeing a chiropractor for the three car accidents I've been in in ths last two years. Here I am at my first appointment. As you can see I'm really slimming down. However, the rapid weight loss really aged my skin.


Dr: So, what brings you here today?
Me: Uh a sore back and neck.
Dr: Alright, any idea what may have caused it? Any kind of stress or trauma?
Me: Uhhhh...I think it's from a car accident I was in.
Dr: Could be. Whip-lash?
Me: Well the first one was a rear-ending. The second a t-bone and the third was a motorcycle accident.
Dr: Have you seen someone about these....three accidents already?
Me: No.
Dr: But you've been in three car accidents?
Me: Yes.....I have issues with chiropractors. I'm afraid they're going to accidentally kill me.
Dr: Ah.

And here is a picture from a textbook from the chapter on correcting whip-lash. In this case the chiropractor attempted to crack the neck but clearly just killed the patient. Thus are the occupational hazards of chiropractors.
And lastly--as a little bit of history for you--Port Perry, my adolescent home town of horror, is home to the founder of Chiropractry, Mr. Palmer.
On a completely different note Port Perry is also home to the founders of S&M.