#8 The Garage Days
We All Start as Strangers When I first started training, I worked out of my garage. Many of my early clients from my “garage days,” have stayed with me or have stayed connected across the miles. Why? How did I get so lucky? What is it that makes them come back? Together, we discovered exercise as an outlet to reduce stress and claim an hour of time for ourselves.
What keeps us close now is empathy and understanding. We have looked each other in the eye again and again. We have aged together and been through a period in our lives where we are okay in our own skin. The idea of looking a certain way has been replaced with health being our goal. The things we thought we were looking for are not as important as they once seemed. They never were. Bina, one of my “garage days” clients, narrowed it down like this, “All things we are seeking are nothing compared to what we already possess. We are thankful for the skin we are in.” Yes, we are. Why? Because it holds our gift to the world. And more than that, it signifies that we are each right where we are meant to be. The quote attributed to Plato, “Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle” is my guide when I am with my clients.
Isn’t it the most wonderful compensation in life that we all start as strangers and leave as friends? That is a life well lived. To leave those whose lives we touched, better, is one of the greatest gifts of life. During my “garage days,” when I did not know my future, and was unaware of my potential, I was surrounded by these beautiful people. It reminds me, “Keep the ones who heard you when you never said a word.”~unknown. Their trust in me is humbling, and I am beyond grateful to have them by my side, then, now and, if we are so lucky, tomorrow. I am also thankful for their authenticity. They are my tribe, my heartbeat, my people who exemplify, “real.” Our relationship has withstood the test of time, and we know that “the skin we are in” is just right.
Thank you for letting me be a part of your story. As you read this chapter, we connect and are no longer strangers. Your story has become mine, and mine, yours. I hope the effect we have had on each other is mutual. I challenge you to continue to connect, to serve, and to love. Love hard. Care deeply. Share your stories. Use your love to reach out and help others. Weave these threads of life together and you will live a purposeful, meaningful, and incredibly strong life.
Pre-release, early access glimpse into Wake Up! Your Life is Now! from 10 Stories of Strong Living (June 7, 2017 release date, Scriptor Publishing Group)
Are you thankful for the “skin you are in”? Has gratitude replaced comparison in your life? Do you see how perfectly you are made? Who has stood by your side, and how have your journeys ebbed and flowed? What tests of time have you stood up to and what does that mean in your life?
"Be Courageous" artwork by Samantha Stewart