Priorities

I remember reading the account of a soldier that survived the Bataan Death March during WWII, only to then be held as a POW in a work camp that was so brutal, it was practically a concentration camp. He remembered how hungry he and the other men were. In the beginning, it was all they could talk about, think about and dream about.

Eventually, it became torturous to swap imaginary recipes or discuss their favorite dishes, but they couldn't stop thinking and dreaming about food. Then one day, they got a good meal. I forget how. And that night, instead of food, he dreamt of a woman.

Apparently, the body has priorities. Sustenance, then reproduction. :)

I've been thinking about my body's priorities. Obviously, sleep is first on the list. It's pretty much all my brain has room for. Every spare moment is spent longing for a nap, planning a nap, attempting to squeeze in a brief nap, or crying because my attempts at a nap are unsuccessful. But a strange thing happened this week: I got one really good night of rest, and in the morning my first thought was, "I should go running."

{Probably not what my husband was hoping my first thought would be.}

So I did. Kinda.

My legs felt thick and heavy. My chest felt swollen and painfully bouncy. My muscles felt non-existent. It was more like a lumbering jog, and I could only maintain it for a few minutes before I switched back to power-walking. But the air was cool and hinting of autumn, and the early morning silence reminded me of how important it has always been for my sanity to have that time alone.

It makes me curious. If I get enough sleep, and then get enough exercise, what will be the next priority to reappear? I'm guessing a shower. :)

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