Yesterday I had the honor of attending the ribbon cutting for an apartment building. A nonprofit organization was able to purchase a vacant, foreclosed property in a neighborhood suffering from blight and renovate the building to provide homes for four families experiencing homelessness. Not only was this small apartment building going to help the four [...]]]>

Yesterday I had the honor of attending the ribbon cutting for an apartment building. A nonprofit organization was able to purchase a vacant, foreclosed property in a neighborhood suffering from blight and renovate the building to provide homes for four families experiencing homelessness. Not only was this small apartment building going to help the four families, it  could also begin to improve conditions on the street and eventually turn things around for the whole neighborhood.

One of the new residents attended the ceremony and was able to see her apartment for the first time. She had been living in a shelter with her baby in a Pack ‘n Play next to her. The apartment was small, but it had been completely furnished by two local decorators who volunteered to bring the community together, collect items, and produce a fantastic-looking apartment.

The mom was overwhelmed when she saw the baby’s room. The darling pink draping and hanging toy were sweet. After being shown a trendy living room and fully-stocked pantry, she was emotional when she saw all the special details for her baby.

Now I find myself remembering my first pregnancy. My husband worked for the World Bank. When he had to go on an extended trip to Thailand, I felt very alone. Even though it was temporary, I couldn’t help but imagine how terrible it would be if he didn’t come back. We owned a nice little house. I had friends and family. Even with all this support, I couldn’t fathom being all by myself and having a child.

So I find myself thinking about how she must have felt to be alone in that shelter with a little one depending on her. I don’t really know what it feels like to have nothing I could call my own, to have my life filled with such uncertainty. But I saw what it felt like to walk into an apartment and be given a chance for a good, stable life because strangers cared enough to make it happen. The gratitude and love of that powerful moment was overwhelming.

The decorators put a sign in her bedroom window which said “Dream”. Now that she has the dignity of a home, she can.

A few months ago I started to feel sick at work with a headache. Convinced I was catching my son’s cold, I decided to go out for a run anyway. Miraculously, I felt better.

On a few other occasions this winter I’ve felt terrible. Convinced I’d be sick in [...]]]>

Watch out when the stress blows in

A few months ago I started to feel sick at work with a headache. Convinced I was catching my son’s cold, I decided to go out for a run anyway. Miraculously, I felt better.

On a few other occasions this winter I’ve felt terrible. Convinced I’d be sick in bed within hours, I dragged myself out for my late-night kickboxing class then recovered. I’ve been telling everyone how my exercise must be boosting my immune system because I never wind up getting sick.

With the blizzards, I couldn’t travel to the gym. For six days my stomach was upset. I enjoyed my time with my family while trying to keep the ball rolling for a major fundraiser. With Washington DC snowed in for a full week, the hours were dwindling before the big event. Even though I had been ill for several days, I forced myself to an early-morning kickboxing class as soon as the roads were clear. When I came home I started to research my symptoms in fear of cancer. A short time later I was completely better.

When I was reading the medical book, the first cause of my symptoms was typed in bold letters: stress.

I had spent a week feeling sick because of stress. I still can’t believe I didn’t recognize it. My suffering had me worrying about a major disease. With my conscious effort to stay healthy, I can’t believe I didn’t know what was happening to me.

The realization that I was suffering from stress every time I thought I was sick floored me.

When I interviewed for my nonprofit job, I was asked how I handle stress. Fundraising under tight schedules with part-time hours and a strong desire to succeed is recognized for the stress it creates. Yoga and running on a daily basis had been a strong foundation to staying healthy but with work taking up additional hours, late-night kickboxing had to be added. Apparently, I can’t live without all these stress reducers.

But not all stress is bad. The American Institute of Stress describes it this way:

Increased stress increases productivity – up to a point, after which things rapidly deteriorate, and that level also differs for each of us. It’s much like the stress or tension on a violin string. Not enough produces a dull raspy sound and too much an irritating screech or snaps the string – but just the correct degree of stress creates a beautiful tone.

There are many signs of stress.  HelpGuide.org lists the physical ones as aches and pains, diarrhea or constipation, nausea, dizziness, and loss of sex drive. Keep a look out for these in your daily life.

Without intervention, my situation is making me physically ill. With this awareness, I need to make sure I find the ways to keep a good balance and stay healthy. Hopefully the weather or injuries won’t prevent me again.

I’m feeling a need to run right now.