A Cape Free Superhero

Today was spent resting, continuing to recover from the virus that struck our family this weekend.  Out of sheer curiosity I got on the scale this morning and I was in the 135 range.  I know that's fake weight loss from being sick.  But that number inspired me to skip my normal "healthy" breakfast and eat one of the waffles Miguel made the kids for breakfast.  For lunch I had leftover chicken soup.  My stomach is still on the queasy side and I feel pretty weak but at least I seem to be freed from the worst of it.

So Mark sent me the picture for the ad.  As I said before, he called me into his office at the gym this past Wednesday.  I was having a rough day and he could see when I walked in that I wasn't my normal self.  I told him I was going through some personal stuff and he was nice enough to just let me be what I needed to be in that moment.  He then suggested I take a deep breath to center myself before he showed me the ad.  He's an enlightened type guy like that.  So I sat there, eyes closed, and took a deep breath.  I opened my eyes and he set his ipad down in front of me to show me this.

I looked at the picture, I read the headline, and I burst into tears.  I can't tell you how much this means to me.  More than I could describe here.  I had to keep looking at the picture.  Is that me?  Or some beautified version of me?   The skin on my face is not quite that perfect, and my hair is a little less gray than in real life, but otherwise, he didn't photoshop anything.  Wow, that really is me.  And a cape free superhero?  I was speechless.  Speech. less.  Of course I recovered enough to thank him and he was so wonderfully reassuring, "You created this, you earned it."

It's going up in the form of a poster in the gym in February.  I'm going to be famous!  Ha ha.  I look so NOT like this when I go to the gym, no make-up, hair back in a headband, and not in these all-black superhero duds.  Though I might have to start dressing like this all the time.  Once the poster is up I'll (of course) have to take a picture of me next to it to share, ideally with Mark too [update: done!] for the blog.  He's been so supportive and encouraging, as has been the staff there.  You might not think a gym can make a difference in someone's life but this gym has made a difference in mine.  It's like my second home, and I am so grateful for their support. 

So this seals the deal, I'm going to dress up as a superhero next Halloween.  Probably Batgirl because she wears all black.  Anyway, I'm tempted to frame this picture and put it up in my house.  Whenever I'm feeling doubtful about my ability to handle something, I'll just take a peek at this and be reminded, I can do it.  Yep, that's me in that picture, and I am capable, competent, confident and though I'm cape free, I have all the super powers I need to handle whatever comes.