Every morning I am part of a parade of people. There is the guy who bears an uncanny resemblance to his large dog strapped to his belt, there is my neighbor who I wonder if I have offended or doesn't wear her contacts in the morning because I always wave but I am not acknowledged. There are the two girls from my ward - Tara and Stephanie who I know I will see from a distance at 6:13. I know I will see them at a distance because I avoid ever catching up to them. These are two amazons who both ran 5K's and placed while each were 9 MONTHS PREGNANT!!! You know how I say I got 3rd place in the 5K? Well Stephanie just about to give birth came in second, Tara first. I am terrified that one day I will end up running right by them and they will kick my heiney, and I will have to pretend that I run that fast every morning while disguising my inability to breathe. Another gal, Camille, in my ward placed in the twenty something bracket, and I advoid her on our parade as well - for the same reasons. There are countless others that make up our group, grumpy man wearing fedora who walks in the middle of the sidewalk, never willing to pull over, and there is young man wearing hunters orange which makes me question my own safety wearing all black - however I am pretty intent on not ever wearing a color that can be seen from the planet Venus.
Every once in awhile a few people are added, and some drop. One very heavy lady who had her walk impaired because of her thighs rubbing together was with us and every morning I wanted to shout "good job!" but worried that she might be startled at someone running up behind her and shouting and would want use her pepper spray on me. I haven't seen her for awhile and miss her.
This week we have a new member, I have christened her in my mind as "she who walks small dog rapidly while talking on her cel phone at 5:45 a.m." I baffle at who on earth she could be talking to or if she is just trying to ward off muggers by showing she has friends who know right where she is. I like that lady, she doesn't have a walking partner, so she calls someone up and takes them along by phone.
I silently cheer for people who join our parade. While I am running I wave to some, and nod at others, we have an unspoken camaraderie. I have no reason to believe that they can't succeed, and I would never stop one and say "I know you are trying this now, but you have tried in the past and failed, so you might as well go back to bed" That sounds ridiculous, yet I have said that to myself and I am ashamed to say I have said (or thought - which is just as bad) the same kind of thing to family members.
I want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt including me. I am going to believe that everyone can be who they want to be with faith and works. I am going to expect people to do their best and if they fail, I want to be their cheerleader, and be patient, full of love and hope. I want to be the person that my husband will shout from a podium to a massive group of people - "I would like to thank my wife, she always believed in me and I never could have succeeded with out her." Then crowds will cheer, and I will look on them as a benevolent angel waving with tears in my eyes while wearing a beautiful ball gown made of tole and sequins all while floating above them in a bubble, sort of like Glenda the good witch. I am tired of being Elphaba, the wicked witch of the west to myself, family and friends. I am going to cheer for my family and myself the same way I do for my silent friends on my parade. My sister (Carrot Jello, the famous blogger) and I decided that we should be like June Cleaver, she was always so kind and positive to Ward, Wally and the Beaver. They were lucky to have her. I never once heard her give the Beave a lecture and then say "of course you wont obey because you never do." So Carrot and I decided we are going to put on aprons before our husbands and family come home to remind ourselves to "Be June". And saying this, I can only expect the good.
True change is part of the Gospel. It is what the atonement is all about. What if christ was sent to complain about the world that through him the world might be critized? Luckily it doesn't work that way. Christ changes our hearts and behavior, He heals and teaches:
"...for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters" (Mosiah 5:7)
Just about every family night we sing "I am a Child of God". I am His child, so are you and so is my family. We are entitled to unlimited potential. Who are we to tell God that we, or others are incapable of change? We can change and be whoever we want to be, if you want to be healthy and thinner you can if you do it through faith in Christ who will help you do the hard work. I have every reason to believe this because that is how I changed. God is no respecter of persons, We just can't be afraid to join the parade.
15 comments:
Er...I haven't found my apron yet. Maybe I will today. I had everyone re-do their chores last night so I wouldn't wake up to a mess.
I'm sure I will do better today. As long as I can find where I put my house dress.
Oh, and I'm hardly famous. Nobody takes my picture when I leave my house. Of course, maybe they heard that they might get clobbered if they did.
Oh. Nice people don't say things like that, do they?
I have so much to learn.
I will succeed. I will succeed.
I put a Wendy Watson cd on last night as I fell asleep. I was hoping to wake up and feel more like her this morning. We'll see if it worked.
You are so inspiring to me-- you make me want to go out and look for a parade to join. Thanks.
We can change--we just have to have the desire--I may go out today and look for an apron. I love that thought (of course, I grew up on Leave it to Beaver!!!)
By the way, how far do you run--and do you run every day???
I now know why I love Carrot Jello too- did not know you were Sis's!
I have yet to actually act in the wee hours of the morning and start my routine, but I am more inspired every day! I think I will go right now and set out my clothes and shoes. And socks!
You're making me want to exercise. And that? Is no small thing.
(adding "Be June" and "Be the Tree" to my list of "Be's")
I love it. So, so well done.
Didn't Wendy Watson marry Russell M. Nelson? Is Carrot going to run off and marry an apostle?
As usual, I agree with you. I think I need a bobble-head of myself just to put on the desk when I'm reading your posts so my neck doesn't get sore. I've been this hard on myself as well, telling myself I can't change. I'm not telling myself that anymore. I just have to learn how to tweak everything and continue on fine-tuning.
I allowed myself a small cup of chocolate pudding, made from raw cashews blended smooth with cocoa, cornstarch, salt, vanilla and unbleached sugar last night. I made myself eat it so I would learn that it's ok to have a treat once in a while and that won't be the end of the world for my new lifestyle. I also had a decent chunk of the whole grain cornbread that I made. I wonder if the stall in weight loss occurred partly because I started limiting further how much I ate. I've heard that can slow your weight loss. Now I'm just trying to eat when I feel hungry, but choose healthy things.
I'm also interested in how much you exercise and how often, especially when you were where I am now. I got up at 6:15 and went to the gym this morning. My poor husband told me when I got back that he woke up irritated at 4:44 because of a bad dream. I sympathized with him before I told him that I woke up irritated as well, but because I realized that the alarm was for me. :D
By the way, I think you'd be proud of me. I told my husband last night to kick me out of bed in the morning if needed. I got up unassisted. he has strong legs.
Beautiful. Your readers are so inspired. *tears*
This is so much more inspiring than what I have on my blog. (its still good, but not as good as yours) I appreciate your kind words of wisdom. Thank You!
Like Glenda told Dorothy, "There's no place like home, there's no place like home." That is exactly how I want my children to feel. I have been working on have a more positive outlook and to stop being so critical. I like the apron idea, a visual reminder is always a good thing for me. I have a couple, but I don't really like them. Maybe I'll go find a really cute one today.
Thanks for the inspiring words!
Eight comments and it is not only 11:00! My day is made! I love comments and check often like a junior high school looking for passed notes. Thanks everyone.
Carrot, I was sure you were famous, didn't I see you in that photo as a backup dancer to Brittney Spears??? hmmm, must have been someone else, especially if millie is right and you are going to marry an apostle.
To everyone who wants to know about my workouts:
I started off walking 2.8 miles 5-6 x a week, then I let the scale and my smell factor decide after that. Everytime I would hit a week long plateau I would try to add distance and up the speed, if I got so sweaty that my odor hummed and I couldn't (it was uncomfortable to talk) I would know I was getting a workout. I always try to keep it above 30 minutes and below 60. I also joined a gym and loved resistance training (weights), alas after awhile I had to give it up because of lack of funds in both time and money. I know the importance of building muscle and I always try to do pushups, squats, lunges and crunches 3x a week. I hate that the most, that is why you don't get much from me. I do lunges when I sart out on my run in the morning, but only under the cover of darkness on a silent street. My pushups come after my run, before my shower and I try to do as many as I can (good form - man ones) for two minutes. squats I do in the shower and while drying my hair, please don't get a visual of that one.
Crunches happen less frequently,I hate them the most, but I try at least once a week to do them until I am feeling really worked out.
I try to run/walk 20-25 miles a week. I have three different runs, a 3 mile one, a 4 mile one and a 5 mile one. (My five miler is partly uphill and my run turns into as fast a walk I can do at that point) I always try to walk .3 to .5 miles before I start running (I read that it helps prevent injuries) and .3 to .5 to cool down. I always vary the speed, fast, medium, slow, and sometimes walking. I also read that if you run fast downhill that it helps your muscle memory and will increase speed, and speed is what I am working on now, I need to kick those pregnant ladies butts next time;)
I try to think of how hard the women on the biggest loser work and I try to get the same look they wear on their faces. This week I have done 4 miles, walking one running 3 every morning except today (my husband had to leave early, so I was on call). I guess that makes it so I have to do the 5 miler tomorrow(run 4 walk one). I try to be flexable, I have the goal for weeks total miles and adjust accordingly.
Before I lost weight I walked often, sometimes every day for months. I would walk and chat and enjoy the view. I loved being outside, and it was excercise, but it got too easy for me, and I never lost weight. We have to kick our butts to make them smaller. Repeat that mantra every day, and go out there and kick butt!
I have been impressed with Tara for years with her 6 am ritual. I actually admire anyone who is so dedicated to anything. I know morning workouts are the best. Hopefully, I'll be part of a parade too.
I love seeing you along the parade route! You give me WAY too much credit. I've been so slow lately, I'm sure it would be my heiney being kicked.
Have you ever noticed any wildlife on the parade? I have seen both a raccoon and a coyote. Freaks me out! The raccoon was perched on my neighbor's fence and the coyote was just running down the middle of Olive!
So telling people how lazy and incompetent they are isn't going to help them change for the better? Are you sure? I'm going to have to think about that one. And then I'm going to learn how to spell incompetent without looking it up.
What an inspiring post! Thanks for writing about cheering for everyone. Sometimes when I'm out, I wonder if people are thinking I should just give up and go home.
Not that I really care what they think- I just wonder sometimes!
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