Synergy is a law of nature. The word means “combined effort being greater than the parts”, and it has often been used to describe the functions of an effective team. In leadership parlance “synergy” is one of those golden conditions which propel a group forward in whatever task is at hand.
The flight of Canadian geese has often served as an example of synergy. A flock of geese can cover great distances precisely because they work together “synergistically”, forming themselves into a “V” formation. In that formation the flock adds 71% greater flying range. And that is not just because of the aerodynamics of goose bodies! The genius of the flock in flight is that leadership is rotated – when the goose at the head of the flock gets tired, another one takes over, as leadership is shared. Meanwhile, those behind the leaders honk encouragement to keep the pace moving. And, if one goose is wounded or becomes ill, two will stay behind to help it.
Synergy… 1 + 1 = more than 2. It is true for geese, and equally true for us. At some level, we all know this. So why is it that we sometimes resist working together? Why is it that we even resist the formations we know will be most healing for us?
I suspect it is because we have not paid close enough attention to those geese. Yesterday morning I was taking a very wet walk around the high school track, which was literally surrounded by more than 200 geese. About a mile into my walk something spooked the flock and they took to the air amidst much honking and flapping. My first thought was “Oh dear, Mr. Hitchcock!” (remember “The Birds”?). But then I began to watch the geese as they all headed off in roughly the same direction, but not in one single V! Indeed, those geese formed at least 25 separate “V” formations, all honking encouragement, all making for whatever pond or saturated field was next, all sharing the power of synergy.
In this year of Re-Birth, it will be good for me to remind myself that transformation is not about falling lock-step in line with any particular fitness guru. It does not require me to fly in any one formation every moment of every day. As long as I am still traveling in the direction of health, with clarity about God's vision for my life right now, my 1 + 1 will definitely equal more than 2!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
"Heel While Healing"
Well, it turns out that changing the size and shape of my stomach and rearranging my intestinal tract has done nothing to alter my "All or Nothing" personality. Now that I am into day 3 of feeling great (thank you, Jesus!), I am in danger of running away with myself. I am probably more like my puppy, Reggie, than I want to admit.
I got up at 6:30 this morning, did a load of laundry, took all my vitamins (no small task, that), and then decided "why not" take the dog for a walk? Remember, this is not an old, mature, lazy dog. Rather, Reggie is a high energy, super enthusiastic adolescent Border Collie. Kate and I think Reggie has two speeds: full out, break-neck run... and collapsed in a heap exhausted.
So, trudging up the first hill from my house I began to question my judgment, and began wondering how many times we would need to stop, put Reggie in a sit/stay position, and repeat, "Heel!" ( Just so you know, that number was close to 15 times.) After about 3/4 of a mile I was ready to collapse in a heap exhausted, and I realized that I could use somebody telling me to "heel!"
I used to think "All or Nothing" was an okay way to spend my days, and that being the classic over-achiever was meritorious. I now realize "All or Nothing" over-achieving is annoying at best, and downright self-destructive at its worst. I need to remember to "heel while healing", to pay attention to the wisdom of my body when it says slow down, and to remember my friend Janet's advice, "Bariatric Surgery requires PATIENCE more than anything else!"
Reggie and I are about to head downstairs for bed, he undoubtedly to dream about wild chases and great athleticism, and me to solidify my resolve to "Heel!". I'll go back to the track without my furry friend tomorrow.
I got up at 6:30 this morning, did a load of laundry, took all my vitamins (no small task, that), and then decided "why not" take the dog for a walk? Remember, this is not an old, mature, lazy dog. Rather, Reggie is a high energy, super enthusiastic adolescent Border Collie. Kate and I think Reggie has two speeds: full out, break-neck run... and collapsed in a heap exhausted.
So, trudging up the first hill from my house I began to question my judgment, and began wondering how many times we would need to stop, put Reggie in a sit/stay position, and repeat, "Heel!" ( Just so you know, that number was close to 15 times.) After about 3/4 of a mile I was ready to collapse in a heap exhausted, and I realized that I could use somebody telling me to "heel!"
I used to think "All or Nothing" was an okay way to spend my days, and that being the classic over-achiever was meritorious. I now realize "All or Nothing" over-achieving is annoying at best, and downright self-destructive at its worst. I need to remember to "heel while healing", to pay attention to the wisdom of my body when it says slow down, and to remember my friend Janet's advice, "Bariatric Surgery requires PATIENCE more than anything else!"
Reggie and I are about to head downstairs for bed, he undoubtedly to dream about wild chases and great athleticism, and me to solidify my resolve to "Heel!". I'll go back to the track without my furry friend tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Another Day in Paradise
For a second day (in a row!!) .... no nausea, no pain! Hallelujah! The morning began with a visit to my general practice doc, just checking in after surgery, which was a surprise to him. It was really quite touching, when he got tears in his eyes and told me, "You just made my whole day... because now I know you're going to be all right". Of course, that was punctuated by the news that I'm down 30 pounds from the last time I visited him (in December). Cool.
"I intend to live forever. So far, so good."... so said Stephen Wright.
"I intend to live forever. Or die trying." ... thank you, Groucho Marx
I like both of these statements, both of these affirmations of life. They may not make much sense until that phrase "living forever" is viewed not as a verb, but as an adjective... a description of the way any of us most wants to pass through the days. LIVING forever is far superior to simply existing. And to die trying to LIVE means more than simply staving off the grim reaper. So here's to life abundant and joy overflowing!
"I intend to live forever. So far, so good."... so said Stephen Wright.
"I intend to live forever. Or die trying." ... thank you, Groucho Marx
I like both of these statements, both of these affirmations of life. They may not make much sense until that phrase "living forever" is viewed not as a verb, but as an adjective... a description of the way any of us most wants to pass through the days. LIVING forever is far superior to simply existing. And to die trying to LIVE means more than simply staving off the grim reaper. So here's to life abundant and joy overflowing!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Celebrate!
Paying attention to each moment gives one plenty of reasons to celebrate. Like this morning, when I awoke and even got out of bed without any pain or nausea! Hooray! Perhaps one corner has been turned.
Puppy doesn't quite understand why this celebration did not immediately translate into walks, runs, or rambunctious fetch at the very least. However, Kate appreciated the celebration breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and ricotta peach muffins fresh from the oven. Reggie did get his run in at the field (I even threw the ball three times) while I walked, so now all seem satisfied in the house.
After a run to the office to deliver a few of those muffins, I'm thinking a hair cut will nicely round out the day for me. So many moments... so many celebrations.
Puppy doesn't quite understand why this celebration did not immediately translate into walks, runs, or rambunctious fetch at the very least. However, Kate appreciated the celebration breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and ricotta peach muffins fresh from the oven. Reggie did get his run in at the field (I even threw the ball three times) while I walked, so now all seem satisfied in the house.
After a run to the office to deliver a few of those muffins, I'm thinking a hair cut will nicely round out the day for me. So many moments... so many celebrations.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Courage
It is interesting to me how many people have praised me lately for my courage. It is true that the experience of gastric bypass surgery is a big deal (hence, no blog post yesterday since I never got over the desire to hurl all day)... but I'm not sure it is a mark of any sort of courage. In fact, before I went into the hospital, I would have said it was more a sign of weakness than of strength. You know, if I was "normal", I would have been able to keep the weight off each time I've lost it, and wouldn't have needed this major step. But, since I've been affirmed for courage, perhaps there is a way for me to embrace it.
I've been listening this week to David Whyte's "Clear Mind, Wild Heart: Finding Courage and Clarity Through Poetry". In it, he quotes Antonio Machado, speaking about the calling to courage in this way, "Anyone who moves on, even a little, walks like Jesus on the water." That seems to be a good reminder for me in this year of Re-birthing and in these days of physical transformation. Moving on, (even a little) toward God's desire for my life is a small miracle, not so very much different than walking on water.
Another poem Whyte offers speaks to me as well in this journey of newness and hope. The poem "Lost" is written by David Wagner, yet it takes its heart from a wisdom story told by Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. It is wisdom shared by the elders when a young boy or girl asks a very practical, yet also very metaphorical question: "What do I do when I'm lost in the forest?" As if to ask, what does any of us do when we are confronted with territory or situations or fears we have not yet encountered. So the poem begins with the question, in order to reveal the answer:
LOST
" What do I do when I'm lost in the forest? Stand still. Stand still.
The trees ahead and the bushes beside you are not lost.
Wherever you are, is called "here".
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger, must ask permission to know and be known.
Stand still. Stand still.
The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you."
Sometimes it takes enormous courage to stand still, and to let the forest find us. It takes courage and hope and I believe a certain amount of faith to see and hear, to feel every moment of our existence - whether we are safe at home in the midst of familiar circumstances or lost in the forest of new challenges. And I wonder what would happen if I could be completely incarnate in this moment...and the next...and the next...and...
So for tonight I will try to keep moving on, if even a little. And in so doing, I will have earned that badge, "courage".
I've been listening this week to David Whyte's "Clear Mind, Wild Heart: Finding Courage and Clarity Through Poetry". In it, he quotes Antonio Machado, speaking about the calling to courage in this way, "Anyone who moves on, even a little, walks like Jesus on the water." That seems to be a good reminder for me in this year of Re-birthing and in these days of physical transformation. Moving on, (even a little) toward God's desire for my life is a small miracle, not so very much different than walking on water.
Another poem Whyte offers speaks to me as well in this journey of newness and hope. The poem "Lost" is written by David Wagner, yet it takes its heart from a wisdom story told by Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest. It is wisdom shared by the elders when a young boy or girl asks a very practical, yet also very metaphorical question: "What do I do when I'm lost in the forest?" As if to ask, what does any of us do when we are confronted with territory or situations or fears we have not yet encountered. So the poem begins with the question, in order to reveal the answer:
LOST
" What do I do when I'm lost in the forest? Stand still. Stand still.
The trees ahead and the bushes beside you are not lost.
Wherever you are, is called "here".
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger, must ask permission to know and be known.
Stand still. Stand still.
The forest knows where you are. You must let it find you."
Sometimes it takes enormous courage to stand still, and to let the forest find us. It takes courage and hope and I believe a certain amount of faith to see and hear, to feel every moment of our existence - whether we are safe at home in the midst of familiar circumstances or lost in the forest of new challenges. And I wonder what would happen if I could be completely incarnate in this moment...and the next...and the next...and...
So for tonight I will try to keep moving on, if even a little. And in so doing, I will have earned that badge, "courage".
Saturday, March 20, 2010
First Day of Spring (Break)
Living with new life of any kind is not necessarily restful. Our puppy (just barely a year old now) is proof enough of that, barking from his kennel at 7:00 am on the first day of spring vacation. (Doesn't he know the one thing a teenager really wants to do on break is sleep?!) I took the morning watch so Kate could luxuriate in the freedom of no school, and found myself after a couple of hours searching the cookbooks for a special "First Day of Spring Break-fast".
It may seem strange, but now that I am not able to eat a regular diet, I want to cook. I crave the creative process, the sights and smells of cooking, the feel of food in my hands, if not in my mouth. While Kate is appreciative, she is also a bit incredulous, and keeps asking "Doesn't it bother you to cook and not eat, to see me eating in front of you?"
Perhaps what I am discovering is something which real chefs understand in their bones: the visceral connection we all have to food. It carries so many emotions, memories, and meanings for us culturally and individually. But when you get beyond all that, we are touched by that which nourishes and sustains us. And we need somehow to touch back.
So the menu for the morning included granola pancakes, crispy bacon and one poached egg, fresh orange juice and hot vanilla tea. Tonight I'm thinking it will be mediterranean marinated salmon, artichoke pasta with feta and kalamata olives, and steamed asparagus. Anyone free for supper?
It may seem strange, but now that I am not able to eat a regular diet, I want to cook. I crave the creative process, the sights and smells of cooking, the feel of food in my hands, if not in my mouth. While Kate is appreciative, she is also a bit incredulous, and keeps asking "Doesn't it bother you to cook and not eat, to see me eating in front of you?"
Perhaps what I am discovering is something which real chefs understand in their bones: the visceral connection we all have to food. It carries so many emotions, memories, and meanings for us culturally and individually. But when you get beyond all that, we are touched by that which nourishes and sustains us. And we need somehow to touch back.
So the menu for the morning included granola pancakes, crispy bacon and one poached egg, fresh orange juice and hot vanilla tea. Tonight I'm thinking it will be mediterranean marinated salmon, artichoke pasta with feta and kalamata olives, and steamed asparagus. Anyone free for supper?
Friday, March 19, 2010
Transforming the Body
The primary "re-birthing" experience I am engaged in today actually began over a year ago, when I went to the first informational meeting to learn about Bariatric Surgery at the Riverbend Hospital. My daughter Kate went along with me (it's always helpful to have more than one pair of ears when it comes to medical mumbo-jumbo). We left that meeting with piqued interest, and I began a year-long process to qualify for weight loss surgery. Early on I contacted everyone I know who had already been through surgery, and my friend Janet gave the best advice when she said, "I've discovered the most critical thing you need for this surgery is patience."
She was not kidding! Between satisfying health insurance requirements and completing all the classes, testing, lab work and weight loss on my own (20 pounds before I even entered the hospital), I learned how to jump through hoops with patience and grace. So much so that it came as a great surprise to me when the nutritionist told me the last week of January that they could schedule me as early as February or March!
March 15 turned out to be a much better day for me than for Julius Caesar. After 2 hours on the operating table and a couple in recovery, my friends and family found me at home in my room - still breathing (thank God!), and beginning the process of recovery. Because I am blessed with many friends and family members who truly care about me, I keep getting questioned about what exactly happened, and what life is like for me now... (yes, Dr. Kate, I am happy to report, I am NOT circling the drain!) So, read on if you have one of those inquiring minds that just wants to know (skip this part if you really don't need the details)...
The surgery I had is called a Laproscopic Roux-en-y gastric bypass, the "gold standard" treatment for severe obesity (this sounds better than the medical term, "morbid obesity" - yikes!), because of its low complication rate and long term success in not only losing weight but keeping it off. In this procedure, a small pouch is separated from the top of the stomach and is then sealed with staples (and, I'm told, a little bit of crazy glue). The small intestine is then divided and attached to the new stomach pouch. The section of small intestine that descends from the bypassed stomach is reconnected to the small intestine descending from the new pouch, creating a "y" shape. After dividing the upper stomach, the surgeon divides the small intestine in the upper jejunum and connects it to the small stomach pouch with an opening approximately the size of a dime. The other end of the jejunum is reconnected, creating another "y" shape. Food does not begin to be absorbed into the body until the point where the two pieces of jejunum come together. -- See? I told you there was a lot of medical mumbo-jumbo involved!
But here's the good part. In the first year, the average person loses as much as 100 pounds, or about 2/3s of their excess weight. Because the pouch is limited in size, hunger is not the issue it used to be, and keeping the weight from coming back is much more possible. If you still want more information (maybe a few pictures), check out www.webmd.com/diet/gastric bypass.
I spent two nights in the hospital and was released home on Wednesday (St. Paddy's Day). Now I am learning about how to best care for my newborn pouch - see, there's that re-birthing theme again! Before surgery I scoffed at the suggestion that I take two full weeks off work. Now I'm wondering how I'll make it back after two weeks - not because of pain (which is noticeable), but because it just takes so L-O-N-G to eat or drink! To give you a little better idea, here's what I did today:
7:45 am Got out of bed when daughter Kate left for school. Our puppy hates to be the only one up when he knows I'm here. But that is proving to be good incentive to get up and moving.
7:45-8:30 am Took a shower, dried, changed the dressing on my surgical wound, etc.
8:30-10:00 am Ate breakfast: 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, 3/4 cup protein shake,
vitamin D, multi-vitamin, calcium, plus two prescription medications
10:00-11:30 am Watched a movie ("Have you heard about the Morgans?" - an entertaining flick)
11:30-Noon Cleaned the kitchen, started the dishwasher
Noon-12:30 pm Checked email
12:30-2:00 pm Ate lunch: 1/4 cup unsweetened lowfat ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup pureed strawberries. Also visited with a friend during this time
2:00-3:00 pm Cleaned the kitchen, unloaded the dishwasher, set up my blog
3:00-3:45 pm Rested, talked with Kate when she returned home from school
3:45-6:00 pm Went to the bank, then to the Coumadin Clinic to check blood levels
6:00-6:45 pm Rested, made dinner for Kate (it looked really good)
6:45-7:30 pm Ate dinner: 1/4 cup strained cream of chicken soup, 1/4 cup applesauce, vitamins, calcium, etc.
7:30-8:15 pm Played games with Kate... now it's off to rest again soon.
So this gives you an idea of the excitement around this house. No wonder the puppy is bummed. I promise I won't go into this kind of detail in future posts (how boring!), but perhaps this gives you a better idea of why I have "nothing new to report" when you call. Oh, but there was one other highlight of the day... the weigh-in and the 4 pounds lost since Monday. Off to a good start!
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