THE BODY

I think the human body is amazing. There are feats unimaginable that you think you'll never be able to endure - and somehow this incredible vehicle of muscles and bones and a beating heart pulls us through.

I recognize the strength and power of the body (not to mention the spirit!) most when watching shows like "Globe Trekker" or pretty much anything on The Travel Channel. Desert heat. Intense winds. Temperatures cold enough to freeze your eyelashes. Battling rushing rapids or millions of mosquitoes. Building your own "lean-to" just so you can get some rest without getting soaked by the rain before getting up at six in the morning to continue your long journey.

But there are everyday activities when the body amazes me, too. Carrying boxes up about 100 steps. Feeling under the weather, but coherently getting through your workday. Waking up every few hours to feed a newborn. Driving two hours to a hospital to spend the evening with your sister whose husband is in surgery, even though you yourself are exhausted.

And in addition to the miracle of our bodies getting us through moments like these, it is also incredibly intuitive - knowing exactly when we've had too much. And not being afraid to let us know with a cold, or an illness, or even just the overwhelming feeling of TIRED that we all surely recognize.

I think that if we rely on our bodies to help us get through life's rough patches, (and it always comes through!) then we also need to learn to listen when our bodies are telling us to relax.

And that's what I plan to do tonight.