I enjoy the wonderful feeling of freedom to do whatever I want to do, whenever it suits me. I discovered, To have no schedule is the best schedule to be on!
When I am in need of loud music and human contact I will join a class at our local Leisure Center. For the price of a fancy Starbucks coffee I get a 60 minute workout and can swim at the adjacent pool. I believe this is called 'prioritizing'.
Today was the day I decided to spice up the daily exercise routine (trail runs, power walks and yoga). Leisure Center, here I come!
Usually I end up participating in the class with the ill-mannered instructor, wearing her ill-fitting sports bra! Here is a word of warning: Jiggling "twosomes 'in front of your eyes can be distractive to your workout! It takes all my will power to focus on my foot work and not on the wiggling, jiggling body parts in front of me! And this is said by a woman, imagine what the instructor does to her male participants! But truth to be told: I haven't seen any men falling of their step yet...
It was my lucky morning: I had a new lady in front of me; far less distracting than the other one (only a few tattoos, nothing too fancy) and a new piece of equipment to concentrate on: The BOSU ball.
Her routine was easy enough; to keep the balance was a different matter altogether. Stepping on and off the ball reminded me of a bouncy castle, only on a smaller scale.
I loved it! A few other ladies were new to this equipment as well. Together we embraced the challenge and opportunity to experience and learn something new. It was wobbly at times, so what? We weren't perfect, but we had fun and we had a good laugh at our own expense.
From the aerobics room I ventured into the pool area. Before I got into the water I watched a few wheelchair bound teenagers. Their caretakers carefully helped them to get into the specially designed pool. Another teen was put into a lift to help him get into and enjoy the water. Every member of the group displayed either a mental or a physical disability..
Our Municipality here in B.C. prides itself for the wonderful equipment they offer for our handicapped (better:"challenged") citizens, All public areas, facilities or buildings are designed to grant easy access for all. The buzz word is INTEGRATION!
I started to swim, my body capable, healthy and strong - and it hit me like a hammer on the head how ridiculous my thought process really is! I am getting worked up about the jiggling instructor and loosing track of my footing, whereas right next to me are teenagers sitting in a wheelchair because they can't walk!
Sometimes I really need a slap in the face to realiize how fortunate we are to posess and control a healthy body and mind! Being born free of disability and illness should be the norm, but unfortunately it isn't.
Being "normal and healthy"isn't extra-ordinary! Do you know what makes 'healthy and normal 'extra-ordinary? APPRECIATION!
To appreciate our wonderful, capable body regardless of its shape, size or age. And our ability to fully learn and experience something new - even if it's the small task of stepping up and down a BOSU ball.
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