The Race...

Well, at the end of the second week after having returned to working out at a gym, I am sore and have gained weight, and have yet to feel the familiar return of extra energy that working out has often provided in the past.  Sitting at a desk all day is certainly not conducive to a healthy cardiovascular system.  But in all fairness, I have never been an athlete.  I swam, vigorously played a musical instrument, rode bikes, hiked,  chased 3 children and taught many more - and managed to keep a relative health standard that way, but there are realities that creep up on our bones and muscles and joints as we age that just have to be addressed or they degenerate very quickly.  So I am making my valiant attempt to "run the race" with more diligence than before.  Right at this moment, however, my knees cry out against the idea of climbing the steps into the choir loft, especially considering that Communion Sunday requires an extra trip up and down. There is a part of me that is having a very hard time forcing the issue right now, but that is another totally different conversation.

There are some charming older ladies ("older" meaning older than me...) who frequently chat by the pool downstairs late in the afternoon.  They grab a bit of sunshine, discuss their health, families, grandkids, politics, changes in traffic patterns and shopping habits, and generally, whatever is on their minds.  They invited me to join them for a visit yesterday.  Lots of wisdom about "running the race" being shared around that table - outside on a delightful spring-like day.  It was a good time.