Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners; so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs or distract it with many, either to have it sterile with idleness, or manured with industry -- why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills.
My boss saw this quote while visiting the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens recently. He said it made him think about me and my blog. Besides feeling warm and fuzzy that my boss thought of me it really got me thinking...
During my journey I've really come to recognize how our bodies are so fragile and responsive to our environment. Just like a tree, if you over water it it will drown. If you under water it it will dry out. Our bodies react the same way. Drink too much booze, you get sick. Eat too much you will mess with your digestion. Sleep too little and suffer all the next day. What you put into yourself you get back.
I've seen a huge improvement in my overall health since I started this journey. I used to eat way too much and my stomach would hurt. I used to feel very tired all the time. Now I feel alive and energetic (except when my PT has kicked my butt at the gym). I definitely feel like I'm reaping what I sow.
This journey has also taught me how to build my soul through personal health. This weekend I devoted my exercise activities to worthy charities. I ran in my first 10K for Kidneys and did the AIDS walk. The 10K race was extremely challenging. My strength and stamina were tested in a way I've never experienced. As I crossed the finish line I felt so much inspiration and emotion. I almost started to cry. I am going to attempt a different race each month.
The AIDS walk was a personal triumph as I was able to fulfill a dream. My uncle died of AIDS in 1987 and I always wanted to walk in his honor. The AIDS walk was another 10K but at a much slower pace. The kidney race took me 67 minutes but the AIDS walk took 3.5 hours to complete. I became very emotional at the race so to have that level of emotion sustain for that long period of time it was exhausting for me. Once it was over I felt like I really had accomplished something good.
Exercise has always been to me something I had to do to not be fat. Now it feels like a way to improve my overall wellbeing and do something good for my soul. Finding a way to channel your interests into something you dread definitely makes it all the more fun and interesting. I feel like the races are a great way for me to do that. I can't wait for my next one in June!
