I have lost the spring in my step
My lower back hurts, and it’s no fun
I think I need to move more
Sitting in a chair for hours 
Hunched over a computer 
Could be the culprit 
An occupational hazard
For this writer and writing teacher

Currently, I am standing and typing
Seeing if this homemade standing desk
Might ease the sharp ache
Radiating down to my right hip
I see how pain can color a day
Making blue sky look dull
Inviting warm temperatures to feel oppressive
Moving motivation to a back burner

I have lived a life almost pain-free
Physically, at least
Emotional pain or grief has its own ache
Washes out pretty days 
Creates a coldness that begs for warmth
Demands time for staring at a wall
Arrives unexpectedly and stays too long
Like an unwelcome house guest

I am expanding my awareness
Deepening my sphere of compassion
Experience can do that for a person
Open up doorways to unexplored territories
Offer opportunities for deeper understanding
Of those who forge a harder, more complicated path
Mine is minor in comparison 
I trust I will heal with aid from an experienced guide

I expect to regain that spring in my step
And live life clearer and more open-hearted
I also imagine I will be told I need to start moving
Which will take me outside and into Nature
Where I can heal my body while enjoying the world
Full of plants, animals, and atmospheric forces
But for today, I will stand and type
Grateful that I am healthy, strong, and able to mend.