Stretching Through the Chaos: A Summer Reflection

As summer winds down, I find myself reflecting on the unique rhythm of the season—a rhythm
that, for me, includes juggling a busy chiropractic practice, a full household, and the particular
challenges of parenting 12-year-old triplets. At this age, they’re too old for playdates but not
quite old enough for summer jobs, which leaves me in the precarious position of either keeping
them engaged or surrendering them to the endless vortex of YouTube and Roblox. It’s a
balancing act that many parents know all too well.

But it’s not just parents of tweens who are feeling stretched thin. It seems like everyone I talk to
lately is going through something—planning a wedding, navigating a health issue, caring for
aging parents, moving homes, or just trying to keep their heads above water in a fast-paced
world. We are a culture addicted to productivity, always checking the next item off the to-do list
while trying to stay healthy, sane, and connected.

In the midst of all this busyness, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the power of a simple stretch.
This summer, my go-to has been the Moon Salutation—a calming, flowing series of yoga poses
that has become a kind of moving meditation for me. It’s incredibly versatile: I’ve done it in my
kitchen while the coffee brews, in the woods on a hike, and even in a Jersey Mike’s while
waiting for my kids’ sandwiches. No mat, no equipment, no excuses. Just a few minutes to
reconnect with my breath, ground myself in the present moment, and shift the energy in my
body.

The beauty of the Moon Salutation is that it meets you where you are. You can go deep into the
poses or keep them light, depending on how your body feels that day. The most important thing
is simply to move—to interrupt the loop of anxious thoughts and come back to your physical
self. Each breath becomes a reminder that you’re still here, still capable, still doing your best.
There’s a saying I’ve always loved: “If we all laid our problems out in front of us, we’d likely
choose our own again.” That sentiment rings especially true for me right now. A close family
member has been dealing with a medical situation that’s taken up a lot of mental and emotional
space in my life. It’s one of those things that doesn’t resolve overnight. But when I breathe and
stretch and move my body, I remind myself that I’m doing what I can. One day at a time.
Summer may be wrapping up, but the lessons stick around: to breathe, to stretch, and to embrace
our struggles—not as burdens, but as opportunities for growth. I’ll keep my problems. I’ll keep
learning from them. And I’ll keep moving.