Breath of Life

Last week we had two of our younger grandchildren staying over. Andie Rose is only 5 but she enjoys watching me work out and likes to be my “assistant”. She changes the weight slots on my gym machine for me and writes it down in my log. At one point she said, “Hey Grandpa, you forgot to breathe.” She’s heard me talk about how important proper breathing is and how you need to breathe out when you exert and she noticed I wasn’t doing it right. Apparently she takes her “assistant job” very seriously!

 

The reason Andie Rose is a good workout assistant is because she is the type of person who cares about others. And she reminds me of someone else who might well be the most caring and considerate person I have ever met. His name is Antony and he runs his own Personal Training business, which is a combination of physical fitness and physical therapy combined. You might even say it is partly a counseling business because you can’t go in in there and not come out feeling better both physically and mentally. Antony’s approach is unique because of his total commitment and concern for his clientele. He greets every woman with a kiss and every man with a hug and means it. He will look you right in the eye, ask you how you are doing, and then actually listen and care about what you say. He will call you to make sure you are coming in and then call you after your visit to see how you are feeling. I have never met anyone so committed to helping others who also enjoys it like Antony does. He has such a great time at his job. However, he will push you during training sessions. I remember him getting on me for not breathing properly and making me do extra lifts until I got them right. So I guess you could say he takes his “assistant job” seriously, just like Andie Rose does.

 

Having people like Andie Rose and Antony in my life is a real blessing. They are not only teaching me to breathe properly during a tough workout session, they are also reminding me how important it is to step back and take a breath during the tough times of my life as well. Let’s face it we all go through tough times, especially during the hectic holiday season. So if at times your life feels really crazy and difficult, just remember what Andie Rose and Antony are trying to teach us…slow down and make time to take a breath. And if you really want to enjoy life, help someone else learn how to slow down and breathe!

Breathe in the breath of life, all the way to the bottom of your stomach.

Inhale peace and exhale chaos.

~ Tara Sutphen