Saturday, I basked in the sun beside Sleepy Creek, west of Blanco. It was warm and wonderful. My dear friend and I lay on a blanket, atop a flat-topped boulder and soaked in the rays, pretending it was summer already. This, the day after a cold, stormy night, during which rain pelted and thunder rolled (and I shivered beneath the quilts!). From one day to the next, the weather and my weather appropriate activities, changed dramatically. (I will admit here, that I did not go for a run on Saturday, even though the sunshine and perfect temperature caused me to consider it, regardless of the mud through which I would’ve had to trudge. Ah, well…I’ll work harder during classes this week…still have some of that eggnog to work off!) So it is in life; today may feel cold and seem dreary. Tomorrow may very well be sunny and warm. I’m reminded of an old saying I heard first in 1979, when my mother moved us to Harwood, Texas from Modesto, California; “If you don’t like the weather in Texas, wait ten minutes. It’ll change.” The fact remains; weather changes. So do seasons. So do bodies. With bodies, the seasons are set and do not cycle, with no youthful spring following our autumn and then winter time. This is a pattern set by One with more wisdom than we all. So when the sun shines and the weather is warm, we must choose wisely the manner in which we invest our time and energy. In the greater sense, invest your energy wisely while you are young, so you can better enjoy your later years. In your older years, invest your energy wisely every ‘sunny day;’ meaning any day you feel you’re able, get up and get out there and get going. I promise you, if you allow little aches and pains to keep you in your chair, you will feel just as many, if not more of those aches and pains tomorrow and the next day, and so on. I train many people older than 75 years of age. They tell me that feeling the effects of arthritis and other age related conditions is often a daily experience. When facing chronic discomforts, you can chose to stay down or get up anyway. It’s up to you. I encourage you to get up and go. Today, your sun is shining, regardless of the weather outside. Bask in it. Enjoy every ray while it beams. The weather will certainly change…but if today is a day you can move your body; then do it!
Sally Windham-Blackburn is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor in Blanco, TX. Please send questions and comments to sally_blackburn@yahoo.com
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