Smile

While trying to work off a few pounds (gained during 4th of July BBQ’s) I have been down at the gym sucking some serious air on that stair stepper.

In my early 20’s, I felt strong and invincible. I literally used to pity women like me in the gym. You know, the “middle aged, 40 something, no matter how many hours she works out, she will never be as strong or as sleek as me” mentality. I used to think… “poor old gal, she ought to just hang it up!” Ahhhh, the confidence of youth!

Now in the gym, I look at the young, strong 20 something gals and while I envy their strength and stamina…. you couldn’t pay me enough money to re-live that decade.

Now I look at the older gals, in their 60’s, 70’s and even in their 80’s, and I see warriors. While getting to know some of these women, I’ve realized their strength and stamina is 10 times that of a 20 year old.

Some of them have out lived their husbands. Some of them have out lived their own children. Some were nurses in the military, serving during WWII. Some have had mastectomies. Some have had hysterectomies. Some of them are Holocaust survivors. Some have crippled arthritic hands, barely able to lace up a shoe, but come daily to the pool for therapy and exercise.

The creases in their faces (once thought of as unwanted scars), remind me that those laugh lines were acquired through years of laughing and living. They wear their grey hair as a beautiful silver crown, and they’ve earned it!

When I start whining about the “woe is me, I have a brain tumor” syndrome, I am reminded that many a better and stronger woman then I, have survived much worse.

Warriors don’t whine about life’s inconveniences, they celebrate it’s gifts.
SMILE