Ya know that moment when you finally make up your mind about something? It often follows a back and forth game between the thoughts in your head. Your inner voices battling it out between what you WANT to do and what you SHOULD do. And then, suddenly, your mind is made up. And whether you made the “right” decision or you made the “easy” decision, you are simply glad to be done contemplating the issue.
This is Kendra, and I’m going to take a minute to share a Sparkle.Pounce. moment from a few days ago with you.
For the last two January’s, our triathlon club has organized a challenge called the Polar Bear Century Club. The goal is to run, walk, and/or crawl a total of 100 miles in the month of January. It’s a great motivator to keep people moving during the cold and dreary Michigan winter, and it raises money for charity. It’s a win, win!
Well, this January has been brutally cold, and therefore, particularly difficult to get those miles in. Luckily, I own a treadmill (and YES, treadmill miles count…really, why wouldn’t they?!?!). But, I also decided that now was a good time to start weight lifting. So, my body has been exceptionally tired and not really wanting to run (aka shuffle?) every day.
Thursday night I was feeling especially exhausted after a weight lifting class and then an evening of regular mom duties (cooking dinner, packing lunches, cleaning, laundry…) and I really just did not want to run. I had done my calculations for how much I needed to run each day in order to meet my 100 mile goal and had given myself Fridays off. So, I debated back and forth and just decided that I would run Friday instead of Thursday. (I’m a teacher and I was really hoping for a “cold” day on Friday!) Ahhh…decision made.
So, as usual when I make important life decisions, I sent a text to the other Sparkle. Pounce. girls who are doing the Polar Bear Challenge. Here is how the text read, “I’m not running today. If I don’t end up having a snow/cold day tomorrow I’m really going to regret it. But I had weight lifting today and I just Really. Don’t. Want. To.” Honestly, I was hoping for an affirmation from them. Maybe an “Atta Girl!” for going to weight lifting. Nope. Here is what I got in return:
“Kendra. Just go run for at least one mile.”
“I thought I was going to meet an early death at Crossfit tonight and it was by sheer miracle that I made it to the treadmill.”
“Unless you don’t feel well ;)”
WHAT?!?! That is not what I was expecting! Now what? I already had the shower started and was ready to call it a lazy night. So much for making up my mind. UGH!!!
So, after a couple of texts back that may or may not have included things like, “I don’t like you…”, I put my running clothes on, went downstairs, and got on the treadmill. 4.5 miles later I felt like I had conquered the world. (Ok, maybe not the world, but definitely the lazy voice in my head!)
Sometimes you need a friend to ignite the sparkle. So, thanks Stephanie!
Sparkle. Pounce. Conquer.
Month: January 2014
Hard is What Makes it Great
You Think You Have Time
I’m really not even sure where to start with this one. I feel like the last few days have been full of events/situations that have caused me to stop…and think.
On Saturday night in church, our Pastor double dared us to complete five random acts of kindness this week. He also challenged us to spend more time stopping and appreciating things instead of being constantly on the go. AND, he gave each family a devotional book about living a life of generosity. Those things by themselves don’t seem like much, but then the week started.
Monday I got an email about a fundraiser that my son’s elementary school is holding for their former principal who needs a double lung transplant. He will not survive without the surgery, which will cost $25,000. This man was only my son’s principal his kindergarten year, but he still talks about him. I know he’s a special person, even though I do not know him personally.
Then, Monday evening I found out that a friend of a friend’s running partner was struck by a drunk driver and killed while she was out on a run with her husband at 8:00am. The man who was driving the vehicle is a doctor of internal medicine and was on his way to work. Ironically, his own wife was killed in a drunk driving accident just two years ago.
Today, I received an email that a family member on my husband’s side has to have open heart surgery this week. This man isn’t even 40 years old and he has to undergo an intensive surgery that will leave him unable to work for three months.
Then, after work I was reading the day’s news when I read the story about another school shooting in New Mexico. It occurred at a middle school, leaving one student in critical condition and another in serious condition. (Note…I NEVER read the news. I try to avoid hearing about all of the horrible things that are happening in our world.)
I stopped at the bank on the way home to deposit a couple of checks, and noticed a man sitting outside the bank in his car. He looked a little suspicious to me, but I went inside. Just after I walked in he walked in behind me. I got chills. Why you ask? Because all of the garbage that has happened this week has left me completely on edge and full of fear! And I can’t stand it! After I finished my banking and realized that I was completely crazy, it struck me that it is only Tuesday and I have “stopped” to listen and look and hear about a lot of really crappy things happening.
Luckily, these events have left me with some great opportunities to complete my five random acts of kindness. And they have really gotten me thinking about the fact that we need to live life today. And every day.