By Ronnie Michel

My watch tracks everything – my heart rate, sleep pattern, every move I make, every step I take – you get the picture. I can text on it, make phone calls, and yes, even find out the time. (It’s almost unbelievable – unless you’re like me and grew up reading Dick Tracy comic strips and remember the watch he had.)

For reasons I will never know, and through a process which I have no knowledge, my granddaughter Adeline put my name as “Eat” on my watch. Now, any information regarding my physical activity includes Eat. I get messages such as, “Eat, you’ve met your move challenge,” “Eat, you can do it,” or “Eat, you’ve halfway through the month.”

Believe me, I don’t need a reminder to eat. I could use a reminder to mop, turn off the television, or fold the laundry, but I’ve never forgotten to eat.

One reminder I do appreciate on my phone is the reminder to Breathe. While breathing is involuntary, there’s a type of focused, deep breathing that can help to relieve stress, tension, anxiety, and even pain. Deep breathing can also increase energy and focus. For most healthy people (asthmatics and those with respiratory issues should follow a doctor’s advice) deep breathing can be beneficial. During a tension-filled moment, you may have been told, “Take a deep breath and count to ten.”

When I follow my watch’s advice to breathe, I often remember a scripture in Genesis 2:7.  After creating Adam, “God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”

I breathe in and remember that I am not alone. I am, and you are, created by God, and we are the breath of God. Then I exhale and let go of any fear or worry I’m facing. While I will never need a reminder to eat, the reminder to breathe is always welcomed.