I spent hours splitting wood before I finally got the flow down. Swing it back and up, move your hand down the handle and let the force of the maul crack down on the wood. My left hand started to blister so I put on a work glove and continued at it. I looked down later and saw dried blood on my right fingers where the skin must have rubbed right off. It was pretty cold out so I hadn't noticed. I put on another work glove and continued on, determined to split each log on the first blow.
If you looked at my palms you would know that I have been hard at work. Splinters, mending cuts, and blisters neighbor each other while open gaps are quickly filled with dirt. You would see the soil beneath my short nails and the various marks that I have accumulated while I have been here. I am recognizing my body's resilience and appreciating my ability to heal. So often one will become accustomed to putting a band aid on every cut, and washing hands meticulously to stay healthy. I think those habits are completely respectable and at the same time I am finding that my 'rustic' lifestyle is breaking those norms. I accumulate a week's worth of dirt before washing it away, I share silverware and plates to save dishes, I sometimes wash my hands with soap, and I have been switching between two pairs of pants for the last three weeks.
You may think that all of that is gross and that is okay. I may think that you are too clean. What I am getting at is this... I am the healthiest I have been in my entire life. I wake up with good energy, work hard until night, and am ready to repeat the cycle the next day. My appetite is strong, my mind is clear, and I am happy. Each splinter and cut is a lesson learned, mostly to remember when to wear work gloves. But most of all, every mark that I have earned is a reminder that when your heart is happy hard work does not feel like work at all.
<3
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