I am going to the grocery store; ran the list off the copier and will take it with me. I also have my new cross trainer shoes I found on sale and will be back to taking my 2 mile and doing my meditation. And, that will help me. I’ll be 2 days behind you. Which ought to be interesting because I have luncheon appointments 3 days in a row. I’ll drink water (always do) and have to have a salad because I don’t know what else would work..

Joan - forgive my late response but I am just catching up after the holidays, and guests. I understand what you are saying and I once felt that way, too - but if you ever lose something very essential to you, in regards to your views of physical self, you will (hopefully) learn that you are more than your body. That’s part of life’s path. For example, I used to say, “Well, I’m breathing - things will be all right,” then I’d work up from that point, to center myself, face whatever, accept it, or divorce it, and move forward. Now, I have to say, “Well, my vent. is working, the back-up battery is light is on (or the IPPB, or Cough-Assist, or power chair) … In essence, I guess the importance of this topic is that we are all far more than out bodies. I speak to disability groups on this, now - why I didn’t when I was first active on the speaking circuit for breastcancer support I don’t know - perhaps I had not come to terms with it, then (but I did wholly invest myself in my care, and treatment for a long time). I agreed with mastectomy, both times, and refused radiation but that was for me, my case, and my spirit. After that, faced with losing more of my somatic self, eventually, it became obvious that the path I was on was giving me answers to continue, and grow. I’m reminded of some comments that arose after one of our longest iron lung users tragically lost her life last year (one in Texas just did a few months ago without any recognition) - some of the public could not comprehend how she could “exist like that so long” and what value did life hold for her “like that”? Sadly, it takes a lifetime, at best, for us to realize it isn’t about life giving us value, it’s the value we give to live, however we look, no matter how we exist - we all have something to contribute. This only comes when we have learned to absolutely love one self. Pema Chodron writes it fully as loving kindness toward oneself, and “the awakening of a fearlessly compassionate attitude toward our own pain and that of others.” Then, we are moving toward wholeness. ref: Awakening Loving-Kindness; When Things Fall Apart, and her other books