Patterns and Habits: What do you notice about the ways you choose to move through the world? How do these versions vary based on a given context (i.e., difference between work & home, childhood & adulthood)?
What I notice is that my current movement through the world is mainly sitting in a car (so much so that my first response to invitation to write here was one of shame or embarrassment at my lack of exercise). I was much more active as a child – ran, climbed trees, played netball – though I still remember being told often by my mother to “take your nose out of that book and go play in the garden!” – so this decline has taken place gradually. I live far enough from shops and work to need to drive most places, and also spent several years keeping my sick husband company so at age 70 have to make a conscious effort to walk and move more.
Tell us a personal movement story that has stuck with you. What clues does it offer you about who you are/were/strive to be?
I have strong memories of the exhilaration of ice skating – as a child, and then later taking my kids skating occasionally – the sheer joy of frictionless fast movement round and round the rink (a memory retriggered when I read the skating scene in Toms Midnight Garden). Not sure how that might relate to identity?
Barriers and challenges: What are some barriers or challenges you face or have faced that have impacted your access to a movement of choice? How have these influenced your thinking about your body in the world and the role of movement in your life?
Main barrier is my own physical indolence! Most of the things I like doing – reading, drawing, listening to music, watching TV…- are done sitting down. So I have to force myself to move more than minimum. Also have suffered from arthritis and joint pain which is another disincentive. I have to fight the idea that “I” reside in my head, and the rest of my body is just what holds that off the ground.
Connections: Physical movement can be a useful metaphor for any number of things. How and in what ways do you use your movement choices and experiences to make meaning in other areas of your life?
Despite what I’ve said above, there are smaller kinds of movement (in drawing, cooking etc) where I take pleasure in performing each action precisely, efficiently, expertly. I can imagine how more sporty friends can get similar satisfaction from the larger movements involved.
Any other thoughts, questions, concerns? Please share those here. Thanks for entertaining this idea and so many others!
Thanks for prompt to think about these issues – it’s reinforced my ambition to move more!
Movement Memoirs 