The first time I wrote 2018, I felt different. All year long, I’d been writing 7, across and down, always descending, never ascending. Then 2018 came around. Literally. Down, around and up, an infinite loop of movement. No matter where I started, it was able to go in every direction, from every position. Moshe Feldenkrais defined good “acture” (He hated the word posture) as being able to move from any position.
Which brings me to falling. Modern medicine has spent all its energy warning adults to prevent falling. Now that I’ve achieved Medicare status, I get a robocall every day to remind me that I’m at risk of falling. I’ve tried to tell the computer that I teach people how to fall, to no avail. What they have all ignored up to now is that you can prevent all you want. Falling is inevitable. Getting up is optional. But both are skills you can learn.
A recent NY Times article highlighted a program in the Netherlands that teaches elderly adults to fall and get up. Of course, my students will tell you I’ve been teaching that for years. So let’s join those savvy Europeans and learn to enjoy the infinite loop of ascending and descending with grace and humor. 2018 – bring it on!