Yes, this continues to happen – I am shrinking. Not so much in width and more in height. For now, I’ll focus on the latter. I hear others make comment on what is apparent and even when words are not spoken, I see “the look” that says “Wow, Glo, are you ever short now”.   I am relieved that the usual “shame knot” in my lower stomach does not tighten as it would have in the past. Great! This tells me I am progressing with better emotional and mental health.

So, back to my body. For many years, I have told individuals and couples that we human beings will pretend, deny, avoid, make excuses, and keep a relentless move forward to accomplish the tasks at hand. The body, though, reminds us that this way of thinking and acting is not the most healthy. Physical pain, discomfort, illness, changes in the body are signs that other options and possibilities are worth exploring. MMmmm — I now wonder if my shorter stature is telling me something that I need to hear, to see, to act upon? I have been told by the medics that losing inches in height happens as we get older. Now I want more information so onto Google I go.

FACT:  the jelly-like discs in the back that separate the vertebrae get worn down and become thin which compresses and shrinks the vertebrae closer. A shorter spinal cord  is the result. OH — and then I need to consider the “uniqueness” of my body: osteopenia (precursor to osteoporosis, brittle bones)  and scoliosis (curvature) in the lower back.

I am so grateful to have reached out for information about how to adapt to changes in my spine and body. Healthy, natural supplements and exercise are in my daily routine. My Network Care chiropractor, my Dr. of Traditional Medicine, my massage therapist, my yoga instructors are my “caregiving tribe”. And my spiritual meditations are worthy of mention as well.

Am I thrilled about my decreasing body height? Not particularly. However, I take this as another of life’s lessons on what the psychiatrist, Alfred Adler said on the theme of “It’s not so much what you have, it’s how you use it.” How do I care for my body, no matter how short it becomes? How do I honor it as the vehicle of my soul, the essence of who I am? What does this say about me getting older? Yes, the spine shows signs of wear AND  the energy in, along and reaching out from my spine is igniting possibilities for a new life phase. An even  wiser one, perhaps?