Thumbs Down

Living gratefully today, I appreciate time to sit in my new recliner and take in a new sunrise.

Moving on to "T" in my A-Z list, THUMBS becomes the obvious choice. On the one hand, pun intended, I take them for granted so much. On the other hand, they are a real pain for me at times.

From Google, here is the definition for opposable thumbs: A thumb that can be placed opposite the fingers of the same hand. Opposable thumbs allow the digits to grasp and handle objects and are characteristic of primates.

I appreciate my opposable thumbs as I drink from my coffee mug, put our dog Oliver's leash on him for his walk, as I crack a couple eggs for breakfast. And the list could go on, and on, and on . . . A very grateful thumbs up to my fully operational opposable thumbs.

But I can become quite unappreciative of my winter thumbs, which can be cracked and bleeding. A real thumbs down to what the extremely dry air this time of year can do to our skin. (Yes, I will try to remember this when I am complaining about the extremely humid air again in a few months.)

Who knew there were so many nerve endings in such a small area of skin?  Some of the worst pain I have ever felt, thankfully short in duration, is when one of my cracked and very sensitive thumbs gets a direct hit of some kind. Pain through the roof baby, through the roof!

I have tried many different remedies and routines for my winter hands, and some have worked better than others. In ways, this has become part of my lot in life in the winter months. It brings perspective. Physical pain, source known, is more bearable at times than emotional pain, source ignored or denied.

Applying self-care to my dry and raw hands is helpful, as is applying self-forgiveness to my raw emotions.

A flow of gratitude helps both my hands and my heart as well. Let's keep it flowing today!


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