Better Here than There...

Once again my thoughts were sparked not only by some frequent and  relentless conversations I eaves dropped in on, but also my visual acuity as I entered my neighborhood 24 hour fitness yesterday.   While I could completely get on a  quite warranted diatribe about fitness and what it takes to be an athlete or a fitness competitor, I really want to reach out to the "normal" people out there.   The ones that struggle  just to get to the gym, THINK they are eating healthy, and  those that believe they are so far off the wagon they may as well just keep that direction until perhaps they come full circle...The world is round, right?  
So often in my field I hear a variety of reasons people refuse to take time for themselves.   I am reminded of one client specifically.   Perhaps she is the modern day Mother Theresa: always doing and going and giving and planning and praying and, and, and...  Of course there was not any time left for her to (GASP) work out!   Long story short, if all my clients trusted in themselves and, here's my plug, me, as she has, they would all be experiencing the quality of life as she is.  I'd lik to extend this accolade to Debbie Weinstein.   However, my point is that I saw a group of morbidly obese ladies gathering around the pool lane as if they were actually going to do some moving.   Yes,  as I sat there waiting for my coach and team mates to arrive, I analyzed every one of those women.   Oversized swim suits similar to house dresses, vericose veins and ecchymosis, edema, inflammation, stretched and tranluscent skin tone, and a repugnance that would send a bear back to the woods.   They gather around arms folded, big gulps close by ( this is not a joke), and talking about superficial things yet never heard anything the others had said.   Of course my mind was in a tale spin.  One lady in particular must have been "on her way out" as she could barely walk and had an oxygen tank attached.  She said very little.   I couldnt help but wonder all the illness she was beig treated for...and the illness she wasn"t aware of yet.   I wonder how long it took her to realize she was doing harm to her lfe.   What affected her and held on to her sense of worth that lead her down this road?   I wondered what she ate all day and how many pills she had to take and how she remembered all of them.  On a larger scale, like attracts like, and they were alike.   After 30 minutes or so, one leader attested she was exhausted and going home for dinner.   Now, I am empathetic to those who can not move because their body will not allow it. I just came off an injury and 4 months later I still struggle with my athletics.   But how is it that speaking for 30 minutes has become a workout?   How is it that one day, if ever, you wake up and standing (due to your own negligence) has become your goal for the day?
This prelude brings me to the topic "Better here than there".    I chose this as not a means to suboordinate those ladies, but that all too often I convince myself and even judge others, and mainly women, on our appearances.   We all do it, I'm just admittig it.   When I think about how fortunate I am that my legs work, my arms move, and my heart is beating, suddenly running a sub 3 hour marathon doesn't hold much weight.  I have been quite frustrated with my capabilities since my accident, however, I am humbled by the vicious old woman who would love to be able to swim as "fast" as I am currently.  I couldn't stand 2 months of being off from workouts for recovery, these woman have been off for years!   
While I realize I am looking at others' misfortune  with a concerned tone, I also reach out to these peple on a daily basis.  I will go a step further to say it is NOT just the ones that are over weight or drowning in pharmaceuticals, but it is also the teenie weenies, the elites athletes and the middle men.   It is all of us.    We all battle ourselves over and over.   We battle each other.   My big premonition is: if I work out, eat right and never change an inch or a millimeter, I'm certain I'll be ok with that.   I'm healthy and working on  inner peace.   I'm better off never changing (physique) than going the wrong direction.   You are also better off right where you are than falling a slippery slope downhill as age becomes less and less a friend.  In closing take a step forward and evaluate who you are and why you are doing ...whatever it is you are doing.   If you are an athlete- great.   It doesn't make you better than anyone.   If you struggle with getting to the gym- it's only as hard as you make it but it also does not define you.  Remember the slippery slope.  Thanks  again for reading...
Completely unrelated sidenote: Congratulations to my friend and elite athlete Bradley Pigage on being the #3 America in the Military World Championships.   Well done, sir!