Lucky to be Sweating on the Hilltop

On good days, days when I don’t have to be at an early morning meeting, I start my day by working out. First I do all the exercises that decades worth of physical therapists have taught me. I have quite a repertoire because not too much time goes by before I injure myself yet once again. Now many of you know that I really value laughing at myself. I also value cheering myself on. Here’s my cheer:       

                  Give me a K! Give me an L! Give me a U!

Now you know how this is going. Yes, I am quite the klutz.

I am currently doing physical therapy exercises for a sprained ankle and for an old neck injury. I have many stories about how I end up face down on concrete on a regular basis, but this being a G-rated blog, I will not relay the story of The Purple Boob.

Anyway, after I go through all those exercises, I set out for my morning power walk. One of my routines is to march uphill for a half hour, and when I summit the mountain (ok, the top of the hill on Connecticut Avenue isn’t really Everest, but still), I am quite proud of myself. I am also sweating bullets.

But I am also feeling so very lucky. By the time I reach the summit, I have walked through lovely neighborhoods of huge trees, townhouses of character, and old mansions. I have passed people running and people walking their dogs. Early commuters are weaving their way through the streets. Café keepers are sweeping and hosing off their sidewalks. I cannot think of a more lovely way to start my day.

I simply am in awe of my luck.

Last week I heard Immaculee Ilibagiza give a talk about how she survived the Rwanda Genocide. I have been thinking about the Holocaust survivors I am acquainted with. I also know that right this minute, there are about 20 million war refugees in the world. Yet I live where I don’t have to worry about bullets being shot outside my window each night. I know where my next meal will come from. I have a terrific bed to sleep in each night. Yes, I am in total awe of my luck.

And that is why, as I stand in my sweaty teeshirt on the hilltop and look around me, I catch my breath. Not because I have trotted uphill, but because I am aware of how lucky I truly am.

©2015 Margery Leveen Sher

The Noticer’s Guide to Living and Laughing…..Change Your Life Without Changing Your Routine is now available on Amazon, Nook, and iTunes.  Read the reviews and purchase here. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OZTM73U 

MARGERY IS AVAILABLE TO KEYNOTE YOUR MEETING OR CONFERENCE with a motivational talk filled with both startling wisdom and humongous laughs:

“Notice What You See and Be a Hero at Work”