When did I stop breathing deeply? I’ve been made aware of my breathing and the breathing of others on various occasions:

• When my mother passed (20 years ago), as I held her hand, the nurse asked me “When did you notice she stopped breathing.” (I hadn’t.)
• When, as we left from our honeymoon in Houston, I grabbed the steering wheel from my new spouse and we went into 360 degree spins on ice. (I hadn’t noticed, until the spinning stopped. I learned to never grab the wheel!)
• Watching my newborn breathe, almost 40 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. (I mean, did she really just stop breathing for what seemed like a minute, while I try to remember how to do CPR on an infant?  Oh, it was just that irregular infant breathe? Now, where’s that book, just in case?)
• When my daughters were surprised to see me holding my breath (not to mention the tears running down my face) when I received my travel vaccinations. (Again, I hadn’t noticed my breathing and they didn’t know how ‘I felt about getting MY shots’ until then.)
• Upon reaching the classroom door of the 1st day of class for EACH class. (I am so excited that I hold my breath as I step in!)
• When going through a deep dive and turn simultaneously on a Las Vegas roller coaster, initially thinking – “How bad can this ride be in the middle of Vegas?”
• When I am able to take a deep breath for the 1st time in a while and I hadn’t really noticed my shallow breathing because it decreased so very subtly. (Again, I hadn’t noticed.)
  

Well, as I get over this bout of bronchitis, I am starting to remember what breathing deeply was really like! I literally had no idea my breath had diminished so much so rapidly!

What Counts?
Take in all of life, while you can. Try those things you wanted to try, that are good for you.

Each breathe is a blessing. It is the opening and closing of a door. Savor a few of those deep breathing moments each morning as you awaken. Their lessening can happen quickly or hardly noticeably.

Breathe          Breathe         Breathe

“Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.” L. Frank Baum (author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)

Dr. Harriette