“You will catch a cold within two weeks of starting a new job.” – Never Trust a Calm Dog and Other Rules of Thumb by Tom Parker
The quote above was taken from a book I found at a second-hand bookstore. It’s got some funny and some great advice like “To avoid being picked for a jury, read a book. Lawyers avoid people who are reading books because they might be too independent.” Or this: “Each hour of sleep before midnight is worth two hours of sleep after midnight.” Or some that you might not use so often, like “The handle of your holstered revolver should hang halfway between your wrist and your elbow with your arms at your side.” Well, that might come in handy some day. (Just kidding!)
I picked the quote at the top of the page, because I want you all to take care of yourselves. It’s the middle of winter. Our newspaper said that the middle of January is one of the most depressing days of the year because we’re getting our holiday bills, we might have already broken our New Year’s resolutions, and the sky is often cloudy and cold in the middle of January (at least in the Midwest – and everywhere this year!).
Stress, fear, worry, pain, overload wreak havoc on our bodies. New things (like a new job) even if they are good for us, cause stress. And a midlife divorce causes stress at a level way, way above the norm.
So today, do good things for your body. Specifically do something calming for your mind. Take a walk. Drink some orange juice. Call a friend and watch a funny movie. Our bodies and our emotions are intertwined. Take care of them both today …. adjust your revolver and go to sleep before midnight!
“A sound mind makes for a robust body, but runaway emotions corrode the bones.” Proverbs 14:30 (The Message)
