Our Bodies Do So Much: My Reflections on Movement, Health, & Gratitude

There was a shift as a nursing assistant that I’ll never forget. I walked in feeling discouraged, weighed down by exhaustion and the soreness from a workout the night before. One of my patients, an older woman with kind eyes, asked me how my night had been. I sighed and told her I had worked out, but I was incredibly sore. She smiled, a bit wistfully, and told me how much she used to love running when she was younger.

That conversation stayed with me throughout the day. As I moved from room to room, assisting patients - helping them dress, transfer to wheelchairs, or simply adjust in bed - I became acutely aware of something I often take for granted: my ability to move freely. I thought about the mornings I had struggled to get out of bed, the workouts I had skipped out of laziness, and the times I complained about soreness or my tiredness. And yet, here were people who would give anything to walk again, to stand without pain, to run just one more time.

We often view movement as a chore - something we have to push ourselves to do. But what if we reframed it as a privilege? Our bodies carry us through life, adapting to stress, healing wounds, fighting off illness, and supporting us in ways we barely acknowledge. Yet, how often do we truly care for them in return?

As I’ve mentioned here before, wellness is more than just working out or eating well - it’s about gratitude for what our bodies allow us to do. It’s about fueling ourselves with nourishing foods, not out of restriction, but out of respect. It’s about movement, not as punishment, but as celebration. It’s about rest, hydration, and mindfulness - not because we have to, but because we deserve to.

So now, when I lace up my running shoes, I think of that patient. I run because I can. I move because my body allows me to. I take care of myself because my health is a gift, not a guarantee.

Our bodies do so much for us. It’s time we thank them - not just with words, but with action.