A story about realizing I need to 'take' more.

Long time no see, it's Sumire.
I've been adjusting various mental aspects, so my post is quite late. I've been late for everything lately, though, haha...

And I've started typing without really deciding what to write about.

Oh, it's not that I'm bored with note or anything like that. It's more like my hobbies have cycles.
Around February of last fiscal year, it was my note phase, and before that, it was my reading phase; the top of my to-do list just keeps swapping out.

Lately, I've been spending all my time listening to music. Also, because of the music connection, I've been spending more time playing rhythm games. Last weekend, I barely left my room and just kept my earphones on.
Now that it's too late, I'm starting to worry about my hearing... I kept the volume low, so I think... I hope it's okay. Maybe I'll take a break tomorrow.

I think it's incredibly fortunate to be able to enjoy what you like in the way you like. Because if I lost my hearing, I don't feel like I could go on living, since I wouldn't be able to take in nourishment for my soul. That's how much I love music.

My eyesight, my sense of touch, and my moving hands and arms, too. As I work hard with the desire to make a living through craftsmanship, I think I would cry every night if even one of those were missing.

Today, during my ring-making class, I felt that "fingers are important."
When I hold a thin tool with my right hand like a pencil, using my thumb, index, and middle fingers, and rest my ring finger against the ring, it adds stability. And having my pinky pressed firmly against the bench pin is just so comfortable (is that the right way to use that word...?).
I finally noticed the "give" from my fingers, which I hadn't been conscious of until now, nor had I treated with any particular care.

I suddenly thought this.

I'm always being "given" to by my body, but am I not "taking" anything back?

I consider "taking" in this case to be healthy actions. It's like, that's the only kind of "give" I can think of that I can offer to my body.

For the sake of my body that works so hard for me.
Get nutrition through meals.
Get proper sleep.
Get moderate exercise.
...I don't know what else, but I'm sure there are many things if I look for them.

The elements that must not be missing for me to live as myself are packed tightly into this one body.
It's actually strange that I haven't treated it with special care until now.

If I couldn't listen to my favorite music. If I couldn't see beautiful scenery. If I couldn't make anything. If I couldn't convey words to anyone. If I couldn't receive anyone's words. If I couldn't feel the sunlight or the wind.

Just thinking about it gives me the chills.
No, no, I hate the idea of this body, which is built upon an incredible number of miracles, changing for the worse. I might be greedy, but I just hate it.

Since there is no replacement for this good fortune I've been granted, I have to take care of it. Of course, I also have to be grateful.
Well, it's obvious, isn't it? Embarrassingly, I live a life where I tend to neglect it.

I think I should take some action. For starters, waking up early on school days is fine.
Let's see, on days off when I have no plans, maybe I could start by taking a casual walk in the local park. Just walking is boring, though... maybe it would be fun to take a photo of the sky that day or find flowers blooming on the roadside.
That's fine, but I wonder if there's something I can be more conscious of in my daily life. For me... I might need to face my slouching soon. I've gone past having a straight neck and now have a reverse curve.

...I know that if I'm worried about it, I should just go to sleep early. Today, as part of my stretching, I'm going to thank my body by saying, "Thank you for today."

Thank you for reading this far.