The other day I went into the gym and got on the treadmill. I was a little rushed for time and I remember being annoyed that I didn’t have time in my schedule to do all of the things that I wanted to do. My attitude was not good. I should mention that this was the day before Thanksgiving and the reason I was rushed was because I had been trying to finish up my work before we were to leave town for the holiday. We were headed to the hill country to visit my uncle whom I had only seen once in the last 12 years. It would be a long overdue holiday family gathering. I just hadn’t been able to relax enough to start thinking about all of the good times that were yet to come.
As I cranked up the levels on the treadmill, I was thinking how much I really didn’t like to exercise this way. I prefer group classes because I get motivation from the people around me. I’m a people watcher so the time flies by when I’m just mindlessly following along and watching others push through the class along with me. I have to admit that when working out, I never push myself nearly as hard as the instructor does. I tend to slack off when I’m on my own.
While I was trying to NOT watch the seconds tic slowly by on the treadmill, I looked out the window to see a lady with a walker accompanied by two people. One person was holding onto her arm and the other was following closely behind her with a wheelchair. Each step she took was miniscule. It was a great effort for her to lift each foot and then place it down only a few inches ahead of where it had been. You could tell that she was giving it all she had. My perspective changed immediately. In the hour that I was on that treadmill, I managed to cover several miles. During this same time, she covered only a few feet, yet she was the one who accomplished the most.
I imagine that she was much more grateful for her progress that day than I was. You could see and feel her effort. It was palpable. The beaming smiles on the faces of those helping her told the story. There is no doubt that she put more determination and work into those few feet than I had into my few miles. She was definitely getting much more from her “workout” than I was from mine. Her attitude was one of conquering and being thankful for each step that she made.
During this holiday season, we should all focus on moving forward rather than just getting things done and crossed off of our list. Enjoy time with your family and friends. Be thankful for whatever it is that you CAN do and appreciate each step you take whether it’s big or small.
Joy says
Thanks Kathryn. I needed to hear it.