Recently I have been thinking about my legs. It is interesting to recognize how often I take so much of myself for granite. Every day I walk on my feet and legs. They carry me over hill and dale and back again. They peddle my bike and kick while I swim. And they dance. My legs hold me up, literally and figuratively. 

Why have I been thinking about them? Several years ago (2010) I was hiking in the Grand Tetons with a good friend. About a mile to the trail head I stepped on a rock, went down and thought I sprained my right ankle. A thousand miles later and a visit to the doctor confirmed I had broken my ankle. Into the boot I went for five and a half weeks. Pretty soon I was back hiking and biking and being active once again.

Fast forward to 2016. I was working in my former home, was standing on a chest and started to fall. I took a quick leap off the chest landed on my feet, standing. I thought I had gotten away with it-no pain-wait-ten minutes later I was crawling to the kitchen to get ice for a very sore, knee and leg. No broken bones, the doctor thought I had generally sprained my whole leg. 

Just as I am healing from this, I was hiking in the desert with good friends, slipped on some scree, went down and I knew immediately that I had broken my right ankle again. Oh No!!! This time my ankle was broken in two places. After seven weeks of non-weight bearing and two weeks of the boot, and physical therapy I was up and moving again. The doctors didn’t feel it was necessary to pin it. I think it may have been because I dance and hike and walk. My legs were in good shape prior to the injury.

Here is what I know. 

• Given the chance and the support, a body will attempt, usually successfully, to heal itself. 
• An adventurist life is not without peril. 
• If I support my legs and lower body, they will support me. 
• What ever I do, I will not stop hiking, dancing, walking and more. When I attempt to be lazy, things begin to hurt. It is just time to get moving again.
• It is OK not to hike as far or as fast. This one is a hard for me to learn, but I am learning and it is OK to reset my limits. Some days I can go as fast and as far as I used to, other days I cannot.
• Hike with hiking poles, always! I can hike faster and further with less impact. They certainly add extra support.
• When I do injure myself, it is OK to give myself the time to heal. Eat right, rest and put my holistic health background to work. I believe that I can heal and return to my non-injured state if I allow myself time to heal. 

This week I am thankful for my legs. I like that I can get out of the rig and hit the trail. I can still go up and down hills. Maybe there are a few complaints at the beginning from my joints and muscles and tendons but soon, they get it and I am off. If things get sore I stop, admire the scenery and get ready to move on down or up the trail. 

I am thankful every day that I can bike. I am thankful I can dance. I have been dancing for close to thirty years and it remains an important part of my life. My legs and all the joints help me, every time I get on the dance floor.

There is a saying out there “Every step you take is a prayer”. I pray that each step I take will lead to the next one and the one after that. It has taken until this time in my life to be grateful for my still functioning body parts. 

This weeks I am extremely thankful for my legs.