Unpopular opinion: You know what's more unusual than movement in random parking lots?
- Sitting for 3+ hours straight on a road trip.
- Working at a desk for 8+ hours a day.
- Scrolling from one screen to the next.
- Prioritizing work over health.
- Sitting in uncomfortable benches at games.
- Not getting outdoors for fresh air.
- Ignoring signs of pain or discomfort in our bodies.
- Not moving.
This weekend my oldest and I took a roadie to PEI for his basketball tournament. Although I was uncomfortable from sitting after the first 2 hours, I thought to myself "it's only another 1.5, I can push through and get us there faster".
But why would I do that?
If my body felt stiff and uncomfortable, why would I consciously chose to ignore that? Habit perhaps, and the thought of "I'm grown, I'm not a child. I can contain my body". I don't need to run around in open spaces like a gazelle. I wondered if people would think I was a weirdo from out of town for taking a random walk in a grassy gas station parking lot, swinging my arms and stretching.
But didn't God make this big green earth for us to do just that?
I challenged the thought immediately and questioned why it came to my mind. Why does something so natural (movement) feel so unusual? My body is telling me it needs to move, stretch, and get the circulation going after driving for hours. Why did I question it? I listened, moved, and felt so much better afterwards, so we continued our drive.
Immediately after arriving in PEI, Mar had his first game. Let me tell you, I don't know whose hips those narrow benches were designed for, but definitely not mine.
After sitting for hours on that drive, my body rejected the bench immediately and I could feel the start of a sciatic flare up. I knew I needed to move, but I looked around and all the other adults were sitting, contained and focused.
Would I be a distraction to the game if I got up and started moving, lunging, stretching my hips, or swinging my arms and legs? How funny that we sometimes consider staying uncomfortable because we don't want to make others uncomfortable (physically and beyond!).
Immediately, No. I got up, went off to the side where I was out of the way but could still see the game, and started a small sequence of movement. I alternated between swaying, swinging, rocking, stretching and just standing. I was a little self-conscious at first but felt so much better after a few moments that I didn't care. The boys were not even paying attention to me, they were doing what they do best - moving and playing hard, naturally. I hardly sat for the rest of the games, and some adults joined me in standing and movement. I knew I couldn't be the only one that hated those benches!
Moral of the story - movement is natural. There is nothing unusual about it. Keep moving.
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