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Here, where I live in the high country desert of western Colorado, we are in a D3 Extreme Drought Status.. The wind whips, the heat hovers at or near 100 degrees, and the irrigation water wanes.
The other day, I thought about a blog I wrote three years ago, titled “Teensy Respite Releases Distress,” and read it. It is apropos for 2025. I started using the techniques to temper my temperament. (They worked like the dog treats I give Dolly when I want her to do something.)
Now, in 2025, stress and tension seem to thicken the very air these days.
I thought about the little respites of relief I had written about and decided to look for them. After all, back then, a ball rolling through calm water, a big cloud, and a rose brought me peace. Maybe I would find more bliss if I started looking.
Here’s what I wrote:
When it has been over 100 degrees for 10 days or more, the only time I can play pickleball and socialize with my friends is at a godawful early hour of the morning.
That’s the situation most of July and August in western Colorado, where I live. It’s hard for me not to be grumpy and tired. It’s even more difficult if I hole up in my home and do not go anywhere. Isolation does my psyche and physique no good. A good swing at a pickleball and a good yak with a friend help my body and soul.
I never expected one of those ‘aha’ stellar insights when I chased down an errant ball rolling to the edge of the court, which was still wet from irrigation water from the adjacent park. I remember pursuing the yellow ball as it whirled round and round towards the corner of the court, right through a cool puddle of water. I leaned down to retrieve the plastic ball stamped with its distinct pattern of holes. A refreshing blast of cool air bombarded my hot, red face. I looked up and saw the green grass and leafy tree screen. Oh, my, just for an instant, I experienced a teensy respite from the brutal blaze of the sun.
It wasn’t impossible to linger there after all three people eagerly awaited my return to the court and our hotly contested contest.
Later, it occurred to me that other moments of relief happened when life wasn’t so extraordinary, so to speak. Suppose I could be on the lookout for them. I might be able to at least get a breather in trying times.
One such event occurred a few days later while I was driving my car, and the driver in front of me did something annoying. I could feel the tension. For some reason, I looked up and saw a puffy cloud. My stress dissipated like magic.
When I got home, I sat on my living room couch and looked out the window. I saw my neighbor’s red rose. It seemed magnetized. A calm came over me.
Of course, I know other tricks to calm down. Things I have learned over the years. If only I could remember to use them.
I remember hearing Norman Vincent Peale—yes, THE Norman Vincent Peale—speak at a luncheon I went to about 40 years ago. He discussed stress and suggested visualizing scenic scenes in your mind to summon when life gets tough.
I don’t think I would have the presence of mind to do that, but I could make a mental photo album. It would contain many pictures of sunsets, flowers, grandchildren, and pets.
Another trick I could use is a skill I’ve learned from the numerous yoga classes I’ve taken. One instructor said, “Change your breath to change your attitude.” If nothing else, focusing on good-old belly breathing gets your mind off what’s happening. It’s very unobtrusive. Unless you are with a master yoga teacher, no one will know you are breathing deeply, holding it for a couple of counts, and slowly releasing it. I always feel better when I do mindful breathing.
An additional teensy respite to release distress came to mind. It is a suggestion from the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland. The Queen said to the King, “It won’t hurt, dear, if you don’t make a memorandum of it!”
Oh, dear, then there is Emmett Fox. Emmett Fox? Why, yes. Wikipedia identifies him as an Irish New Thought spiritual leader of the early 20th century. One of the tidbits I remember reading from one of his books is to stay out of murky waters. Who wants to walk in dirty water after all? My interpretation of “murky waters” are unpleasant critical thoughts or what I call “mind bitching.” Sure, it relieves me, but nothing is as refreshing as a whiff of cool air and the view of green I experienced on the pickleball court. I’m most prone to wander in those waters when I am tired. I try to remind myself each morning not to wade into murky water during the day.
As I pondered teensy respites for release of distress, a new trick I recently learned is the 10-minute afternoon nap. Like many ladies of a certain age, I have back problems. Fortunately for me, I do not have much pain. The chronic condition is tiring, though. So, what works for me is to drape my back over my bed, extend my arms over my head, resting them above me, and let my legs dangle down
from my knees. Sometimes I drift off. Before getting up, I lift my legs straight up. You could say it is a version of the yoga pose, “legs up the wall,” for a few minutes. I get up refreshed and ready for the rest of the day.
Oh, yes, a great release for me is taking my dog for a walk. This time of year, I get up early to avoid the heat. Dog Dolly and I are out the door early. There is nothing like the cool, enlivening breeze of a new day, birds chirping, and quiet. When we get home, I give Dolly a treat, and then I head to the court or yoga studio. It’s way too hot for Dolly to go with me in the car. In the evening, I like to sit on my enclosed sunporch with Katie, my feline, on my lap. There is nothing like the comfort of a cat as the sun goes down.
