Grateful for...Health

Today after my run at the gym, I noticed that a firetruck with flashing lights had just pulled up. I wondered what had happened. As I made my way towards the dressing room, I saw a woman lying on the ground with three EMTs around her, beginning to work on her. She did not look conscious and someone standing near them was giving them information about what had happened.

I noticed that the lady was of about the same build and size that I once was and I wondered if this event would make her forever scared to come to the gym, with worry that this could happen again. Found myself praying that she'd be okay, that she'd be able to get help and grow stronger and healthier. And that she wouldn't be afraid to come back to the gym.

About 10 minutes before seeing her, I had been thinking "Man, I'm tired today...I really kind of wanted to get 7 or 8 miles in but 6 is gonna have to do today...geez...lame. So that means tomorrow I'll have to run another 4 or 5...and Friday I'll have to run 3 or 4...and how will that affect my hike Saturday?" I was annoyed at myself...and then things changed after seeing the woman laying on the floor at the gym...a woman who could very easily have been me a few years ago. Because for most of my life, running a mile seemed impossible...and running 6 on regular basis felt inconceivable.

Suddenly I became very aware of my gratitude for my health and the blessing of having a body that can do so many things. I remembered having attended a fireside where one of the contestants who had been on The Biggest Loser was a speaker...and he was telling about his experiences on the show. He spoke about how he related his exercise then to repentance...that it was so hard, so painful then...because in a way he was "repenting" for all that he had done to his body. Because the neglect had been so bad, the "fixing" was very hard. Interesting concept. Sometimes I have days where I feel like I'm on a "repentance run"...like for instance after Halloween when I'm realizing that eating enough fun-size "somethings"=a run that feels not "fun-sized."

So...bottom line. (Sher, you love it when I get to the bottom line, right?) While I have more work to do and want to continue to take good care of my body and treat it well, I am grateful for the health I have today. I'm grateful that hiking this year feels easier than last and that I feel more confident and excited to try bigger and harder things. I know that having a body is a gift....one that today, I feel especially grateful to have.