This blog is dedicated to the subject of travel—a
word as big as the world—bigger if you consider all the types of journeys that
fall within the realm of travel. Literary journeys. Physical, mental, and
spiritual journeys. Emotional and imaginative journeys. Journeys of study.
No matter the type, every journey is about gaining insight into
ourselves and the world around us. And then back again.
I have taken literary journeys through hundreds of books. I
have taken journeys of study through art school, writing school, teaching
school, language classes, workshops, self-study of subjects that randomly
piqued my interest. I have taken physical journeys to places around the world
from Western Samoa to Chad, from Botswana to Italy, from Spain to South Africa,
from Costa Rica to St. Barths.
But there is a journey I need to take to a place so close to me yet so distant. This place is my body.
Female bodies like mine have been raped and abused. So,
there is fear.
White bodies like mine have enslaved black bodies and built
this whole country upon their lashed backs. So, there is guilt.
Single parent bodies like mine have been isolated and
consumed with caregiving, not care receiving. So, there is loneliness.
Slow, breathless bodies like mine have been perceived as
lazy, unhealthy, and uncared for. So, there is shame.
Fat bodies like mine have been told over and over again, “Just
learn to love your body.” And for years I tried. Until one day, I thought, “No,
you learn to love my body.”
Bodies like mine also grow life in their bellies, lead
protests, climb mountains, and make art.
January
·
Snow activities
·
Hibernation
·
Massage
·
Meditation
February
·
Self-reflection
·
Yoga
March
·
Strength training
April
·
Walking
·
Hiking
May
·
Swimming
June
·
Kayaking
July
·
Paddle boarding
August
·
The Amazon and Galapagos Islands
At the end of this 8-month journey, I will find myself in
the Galapagos Islands, where Darwin thought up the theory of natural selection.
Herbert Spencer, an economist who was comparing his theories to Darwin’s came
up with the term “survival of the fittest.” We all know this to mean that those
bodies which are the most fit will survive. What does “fit” mean for me? I hope
to stand upon those islands with my own measure of fit and a focused picture of
my body for which I am the frame.
photo by Chris Blasingame |
I'm loving this idea of a body journey, Honor. I look forward to following your journey. Maybe there are even some things we can do to bring some aspects of this journey into our work space.
ReplyDeleteI listened to a mindful eating meditation and ate the most delicious radish at work the other day. It was way more memorable than gobbling peanuts with my eyes fixed on my screens.
DeleteOn behalf of a reader (I swear I'm not commenting on my own blog; this comment feature does not always work; BOO!), I am posting her great comment.
ReplyDeleteWow, did this post ever strike a chord with me. I've had to work hard to distinguish my self-image from the reductionist, stereotype-laden way that many fellow Americans have "seen" (but not seen) me and others. I've had a much more positive experience in other cultures, where my daily interactions signaled that people see each other from a more holistic perspective.