Spartacus basking in the sun (but not today) – Photo: L. Weikel

Still Recuperating                           

I guess I’m lucky my fracas with the neighbor dogs happened on a Friday. If I’d had to have a session with a client yesterday or today, it would’ve been tough. My body has ached and hurt a lot more than I thought it would, and both Spartacus and I are still recuperating.

But all I can say is, I’m grateful for the remarkable resilience of my body. I feel extremely lucky that I bounced and didn’t break. (Although it does feel as though things ‘shifted’ inside. Hopefully they’ll ‘shift’ back into place soon!)

Appreciating the Rain

I’d also like to give a shout-out of thanks to Mother Earth. For what, you might ask? For creating atmospheric conditions that caused it to rain all day today – steadily enough so both Spartacus and I could take a break from walking without me feeling guilty for not ‘getting back in the saddle.’ It was good for both of us, I think, to have a day of enforced rest.

I even – gasp – took a short nap in the afternoon.

This is a sign of the apocalypse. I never nap. I can be 98% zombie and I will nevertheless refuse to take a nap. (This is attributable 100% to my father. My mother could nap with the best of them. So of course, on some level, I judged her as weak.)

Yes, yes; this is all a very screwed up attitude. I know that. And I’m not proud of it.

Progress is Being Made

I’ve come a long way with respect to my attitude toward napping. I know there’s plenty of research out there (here and here, for instance) that touts its many benefits. But those old, seared-into-your-brain prejudices of youth can be hard to shake.

So while I’ve progressed to the point that I no longer refuse to nap ever, it still usually takes me feeling pretty crappy to succumb. A wonderfully dark day and the sound of rain pattering on the metal porch roof outside our bedroom window take me a long way toward self-kindness and recuperation.

The Spartacus Lure

Oh, and did I mention? It was Spartacus who spurred the whole napping thing to begin with today. I went looking for him when I realized he wasn’t snuggling on the couch or cuddled up with his mother under a blanket here in the living room. Naturally, I’ve been a bit hyper-vigilant about him the past couple days, and wanted to make sure he was OK.

I found him upstairs in our bed, literally tucked in and gently snoring underneath our covers! (Yes, I’d made the bed. These dogs are remarkably resourceful at making their own nests – and laying in them!)

Suffice it to say, it was irresistible. The lure of Spartacus napping beside me, his body nestled up against the crook of my back and serving as a canine heating pad on my sore spine, was an incredible comfort.

I do believe he and I are even closer as a result of this mishap.

Sleepy Boy (Spartacus) – Photo: L.Weikel

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