Thanksgiving Morning

I always love when the colder weather comes in California. Even though we have still a bit of a hot spell going on and have had to use our air conditioner on a daily basis, it is amazing to see how gorgeous the leaves are and to feel a tiny breeze in the early morning. It's been four months since my surgery and I have been back to the gym now for a month. It feels good! I was so sick for so long that I didn't realize how crummy I really felt! I don't want to ever take for granted what a blessing it is to be able to get up and going! A couple of weeks after Shea & I had been going to the gym, I told her that I wanted to start running again. I used to love to run and was actually quite fast and very athletic. I even won "most athletic" in Jr. High School...but that was a long time ago! I was talking with Kevin and he had told me that he started running and he looks fabulous! So, Kevin inspired me. Surely it couldn't be that hard, right? Shea & I got our running shoes on and went to Lake Balboa. I started out slow but soon became very giggly! I swear, it was like I forgot how to run! Shea blew past me and I told her I would catch up...eventually! In the last two weeks, I have stuck to walking...fast, but walking instead of running! I am truly enjoying it. On Thanksgiving morning, I was up at around 6:30am and thought..."Hmmm...would it be crazy for me to go walking right now?" Well, not only was it not crazy, but it was one of the best mornings that I've spent in awhile. There was that one morning with Joe, but that is a whole other story! LOL The air was brisk and there was a fog coming up from the lake. The ducks were wading in the water and there were squirrels all over the place! I was not the only one with the idea of going there because the place was packed! They were having some sort of race and I told Shea that maybe next year I'd do it! I took Shea's ipod and listened to Joel Osteen rather than music and he was so motivating that I walked my normal once around and then continued and walked another lap around the lake! I felt so happy and thankful for my life and all of my loved ones who have such an impact on me. The next morning, I went walking again but an hour later and I was so disappointed! There was no fog, it was hot, and most of the ducks seemed as though they were already ready for nap time! The thing I always say is that there are no coincidences in life. On my second lap as I was changing from Rick Springfield to Colbie Caillat, I looked up to this woman who said, "AD, is that you?" At first glance, I had no idea who she was because she was wearing sunglasses just as I was. But then as she took her sunglasses off, I realized that it was my friend, Gail. I haven't seen her in years but still send her a Christmas card. It was so good to visit with her and catch up. Sadly, her marriage came to an end just recently and she is going through divorce. Her two kids are grown and she finds herself where I was five years ago. I feel so grateful to be able to give her an insight and hope and faith that she will get through all of this. I know I always say it but it's incredible how God places certain people in our lives at certain times. I truly believe that we don't have to forget the difficult times in our lives but we should try and forgive and get through them. Moving through the crap is when you feel the real joy, at least I have! Sometimes life is like a garage sale, (and a box of chocolates!) if you dig deep enough, every once in awhile you can find a treasure that someone else might think of as junk! I'm going to keep walking and who knows...maybe I will learn how to run again and maybe even something more than that!

The best way out is always through.

Robert Frost