By Dr. Laura Leonard DC
Los Alamos
I have encountered many patients throughout my career and I often get to know about their lives. Along the way, there have been several patients in the later stages of life who have given me words of wisdom.
One gentleman in particular, an elderly Hindu man crippled from birth with club feet and arthritis made a big impact on me. Despite his chronic pain and no family close by to visit him at the senior home he always had a peaceful and happy countenance.
Amazed that he wasn’t lonely or disturbed by his physical struggles, I asked him what his secret was. Daily meditation, Ayurvedic diet, yoga and breathwork were part of his routine as well as one core mantra … don’t get too attached to the joyful moments in life and don’t get too attached to the hard moments in life.
After pondering this for several days, I began to see why this was such a simple and important life philosophy. Ride the middle of the seesaw, don’t try to control the inevitable back and forth. If we have faith that the ups and downs of life are meant to grow us spiritually, life flows better.
It’s human nature to want and show others only joy and good things but the way we evolve spiritually to become more compassionate is to go through hard things.
Some of my favorite quotes from Rumi, embody this mantra of acceptance and faith no matter our circumstances:
- The wound is the place where the light enters you;
- If you want the moon, do not hide from the night;
- If you want a rose, do not run from the thorns; and
- If you want love, do not hide from yourself.
“…do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know that the side you are used to is better than the one to come?” –Rumi
Dr. Laura Leonard has a BSc in Neuroscience and is a Doctor of Chiropractic. She has been in practice for 20 years and has joined Dr. Lenz and Dr. Savoia at the Los Alamos Chiropractic Center. Her practice focuses on posture and performance, using a combination of soft tissue release, adjustments and exercise recommendations. She also coaches patients on nutrition, self-care and body awareness so they can manage themselves in between visits. Los Alamos Chiropractic Center is in the Mary Deal Building on Trinity Drive.