Yoga and Dad

March 5 --  I went to yoga class at the gym this morning.  It was an excellent class and the instructor worked us really hard.  When I left there I was like, yessss!  Great workout!  I was even more excited for the empty schedule for the remainder of the day.  Besides Riley's basketball party, there was nothing on the books.  And we had plans to go to the movies tonight.  I hadn't had a Saturday like that in ages.  Woo hoo.

Then I got home.  And then I got the phone call from my brother.  My dad was sick and the doctor on call told my mother to get him to the hospital immediately.  So she called the ambulance.  Fifteen minutes later my sister was in the driveway to pick me up.  And that was how we spent a good part of the day with my mom and dad in the hospital, waiting to hear what was wrong with my dad.

It just goes to show that being a member of the 'sandwich generation' is unbelievably challenging.  When I told Brian I had to go the hospital, he shot me a look of sympathy.  I was like, "this is life.  What can I do?"

But my dad stabilized and stayed over tonight for observation.  And I went with Brian and friends to see "The King's Speech".  I am so grateful those plans still worked out because it was an awesome movie with an amazing message -- push past your fear, no matter what limitations you might perceive you have.    I love that message because truly, as I watch my elderly parents struggle with illness and old age, I become even more acutely aware of the fact that fear never goes away.

 The same message was one of the themes in yoga class this morning -- recognize the fear, see the fear, embrace it...and move on.  And so I am.