Strengthen Your Core

For many years I worked jobs that had me on my feet most of the time. I worked in the yard at a local building supply company. I worked for a lawn care company and then as a groundskeeper. I did court filings and courier work. I spent years as a supervisor on the factory floor. All those jobs had me on my feet most of the time.

But then, about six years ago, I was promoted to an office job! At long last, I could get off my aching feet and bask in the comfort of a "desk job"!

Less than a month later, I had to pay my doctor a visit because I had severe lower back pain that had become almost unbearable. I couldn't understand it. My back had been sore on occasion before. But it was usually after spending several 12-hour shifts in a row standing on pavement, not after sitting in a nice, comfortable office chair.

What I soon learned was that sitting is definitely not the best position for the muscles of your lower back, and mine were certainly not used to being stretched like that. My doctor gave me stretches and exercises to do, but the muscle relaxers and painkillers were the easier route.

Since that time, I've had numerous episodes where I've had severe muscle spasms in my lower back. Every time I go to the doctor, he puts me on steroids, muscle relaxers, and painkillers... then chews me out for not keeping up on my stretches and exercises. I take the meds, do the stretches and exercises, and then fall back into my old habits once the pain has gone away.

Then, last weekend, I had an epiphany!

Unfortunately, the epiphany was triggered by an incapacitating bout of muscle spasms. During prior episodes, the pain was horrible, but I could still push through it. But this time, I couldn't even stand up. Not just because it was so painful, but because my legs kept giving out. The doctor explained that the muscle spasms were pinching the sciatic nerve in my left leg, which caused my knee to buckle. And (lucky me) the sciatic nerve tends to trigger a sympathetic response in the other leg.

As usually, my doctor prescribed the meds and lectured me on the importance of doing the stretching and exercising. "You have to strengthen your core," he said, referring to the muscles of the abdomen and lower back. "Those muscles are used in almost every movement you make."

Later that day, I began noticing how even the slightest movement called into play the muscles of my lower back and abdomen -- my core -- and it struck me that our physical health is a lot like our spiritual health. We need to strengthen our core. If we spend time maintaining our relationships -- with God, with others, and with ourselves -- then we are much less likely to suffer severe injury. Unfortunately, many of us forget to take care of our spiritual core until our relationships are suffering. By that point, it may be too late. If we're lucky, we can salvage the relationship, but only after a great deal of pain.

You don't have to be a body builder to be in good physical health, but you do have to strengthen your core. You don't have to be in a religious order to be in good spiritual health, but you do have to strengthen your core.

Know what you value most. Make sure your priorities are in line with your values. Spend time in prayer. Spend time with others. Follow the Golden Rule. Fortify those beliefs and values that are called upon in almost everything you do.

Don't do what I did. Don't wait until you're in pain. Get back to basics and strengthen your core.

Peace,
~Brandon

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