It’s been a while.  Blog thoughts fill my head, but I feel somewhat obligated (even if to nobody but myself) to write about “year end”. 

January 2008 found me coming off the “high” of my first Ironman.  The year had been spent as my own little form of “honor” to my bother-in-law, who was fighting melanoma.  My 2008 journey had involved and affected all aspects of my very real world (work, play, sports, relationships…) as well as the more esoteric avenues of wellness (spiritual, emotional, physical…).  The avenues, streets, and thoroughfares all lead me to January 2009, and I gladly sat in that crossroads.  It wasn’t about deciding where to go next or where the roads were leading…it was about enjoying the intersection.  Enjoying the block party I had created.  Resting in the moment…

REST

Everyone deserves as rest now and again.  Heck, without rest it is impossible to have any growth.  Like many of my fellow Type-A-Large-And-In-Charge cronies, I don’t always like to rest as much as I should.  There’s always some work to be accomplished, some fun to be had, or some play to be done.  The funny thing about rest:  if you don’t allow time for it, it will become the very thing that controls your life.  At some point you WILL be forced to sleep or heal or recover.  You WILL be side lined; you WILL slow down.  I began 2009 feeling quite well rested after my pleasurable IM journey.  Bike crash…more rest.  A slew of associated “itis” related stuff…a little more rest.  Minor surgery; more sitting around.  And the economy?  Yeah, that added a couple of slow months in there for me.  I felt like I was on perpetual “Are You There God?  It’s Me, Margaret” mode (OK, maybe only the ladies in the house will know what I’m talking about). 

RE-EVALUATE

I’m reminded of birds flying into picture windows.  You’ve seen that…bird flies into window, gets up, does it again.  Bird hits window and stumbles around on the ground, gets up, does it again.  Bird smacks glass…is a little more dazed and confused, but manages to fly around a little bit more prior to whacking it’s head so hard it…well, you get the picture.  I’m a firm believer in prayer, but I’m also a firm believer that God isn’t always “shining His face upon” me.  I was praying for answers and I thought I was listening.  SMACK!  Into the glass again.  Stupid Girl.  Clearly I wasn’t making the best decisions.  I think a little physical pain, a little heart ache, and a little emotion upheaval go a long way to cloud one’s judgement.

REHAB

(Insert image of Amy Whinehouse in your brain right now)  I knew it was time to check out.  That’s when I called “Camp Sporty” (which is really the wonderful Athletes Performance) and checked in for a couple of weeks of R and R (and R…).  I took the two weeks…which gladly could have been longer…to get back on track.  I began with expert re-evaluation.  Some body parts needed some more rest, while others went straight to rehab.  As unused portions were recovered from the wreck I called “body”, my mind began to REJUVENATE. 

During a weekend there I took off and drove to Alabama.  Why?  Because it is there and I’d never been.  I chose to drive along the coast.  As I paced my way along smooth road my eyes went from small dunes, to washed out buildings, to a new hotel or two, and to spots of bare land.  I remembered the devastation of the hurricanes and how the Gulf Coast communities were forced to REBUILD after the disasters.  Gotta’ love a metaphor that gets thrown in your face.  Thanks God, I got it.  I’m in the right place. 

2010

I’m READY.  I’m in a state of RE-CREATION.  Changed mindset, changed workouts, changed life.  I see the joy of RECREATION on the horizon…by golly, I think I’ll actually be able to race (or at least DO a triathlon) again this year. 

All I can really say is YEAH FOR ME!  Cheers to (Re) New Beginnings!