I’ve never been a “gym rat“.
In fact I’ve never really been one for organised keep fit of any sort.
Growing up I certainly took part in organised group sports but the ones I excelled at mostly required individual skill, excellence and preparation…. swimming, 10 pin bowling, cycling. The only two to go against that grain were rugby and cricket. I loved rugby and was always disappointed I never did more with it whereas cricket is a leisure sport for me – something to be enjoyed and winning was very much secondary.
But I digress.
The point is, despite the stuff I did being individualistic I am very much a social person; a group joiner; a let’s share together person.
So when my doctor recommended “exercise by prescription” I went “what?”. He, being French, simply shrugged his shoulders and claimed to know little about it.
So colour me very surprised when 5 weeks into my “E by P” that I am still going to the gym and attempting to make 3 sessions a week on top of my Tang Soo Do. And what’s more I am actually enjoying it.
The difference as I see it is that the gym staff have all been trained on helping folks to rehabilitate themselves from being overweight; joint replacements; heart attacks; etc, etc … it is these dedicated few that take time to talk to you. To check on your progress. To make the time go by a little easier even whilst they make comments like “enjoy the pain” or “I think we should increase the resistance”….
It makes a gym human again.
It isn’t a sterile (or not) place full of sweaty bodies locked into their own little world. Or the bodybuilder who’s so vain they only have eyes for their deltoids or … well you get the picture.
Gyms are soul-less places.
They are the height of what is wrong with our modern world.
But. I’m still attending one.
And what’s more I do believe I can feel / see a bit of benefit.
One of the many, many presents our eldest got for his 21st was a slideshow of relevant moments in his 21 years. Said slideshow is below – it can be played without sound but then you’d miss out on music that Owen likes.
Please do check it out as it only lasts 12m and if you know Owen you may even appear in one or two.
21 Years in 12 Minutes from Stuart Dyckhoff on Vimeo.
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Our baby boy turns 21 on Sunday.
It hardly seems like 21 years since God blessed us with this tiny thing.
And when we say tiny, we mean tiny.
Owen was born 11½ weeks early on September 19th 1989 at 14:12 weighing just 2lbs 12oz (1.24kg) and dire predictions from the attendant paediatrician was that he wouldn’t survive the day. By the way, did you spot the link between time of birth and his weight?
Owen certainly isn’t the smallest or lightest or earliest baby to ever survive but 21yrs ago the medical staff were astounded that he did. When he was born (in the now demolished East Glamorgan Hospital) he was one of four babies born that weekend that were all 28 weeks (or thereabouts) gestation. Owen was the one that fought through and won his battle for life – the other 3 lost their fights one by one. We all grieved in some way for each loss but our hearts still go out to those that didn’t pull through and we remain constantly thankful to our God for the miracle that is Owen.
Owen, the world is quite literally your oyster and with your skills, talents and abilities you can do anything you want – we love you and have from the second you were conceived. Go get ‘em.