C is among my favorite letters in the alphabet. First, it’s how to correctly spell my name Catherine. And really there are so many wonderful things to be grateful for that start with “C” like cats, cake, clouds, comedy, compassion and courage. What most comes to mind today, however, is my gratitude for cupcakes, cardio and companions.
Not always in that order either. This picture is from one of my many birthday celebrations where a friend make cupcakes with attributes of yours truly! A dazzling array of adjectives including energetic, intelligent, glamorous (ha!), upbeat and funny. I’m very grateful for those cupcakes (or really any cupcakes) and for those companions, most of all.
I’m just back from my Monday morning hike with my Monday morning hiking companion. I’m reflecting on how much better I always feel after some good hard cardio. But cardio alone is just a mind/body/sweaty experience. Good for you — yes. Exhausting and Energizing –usually. A good habit — certainly.
By contrast, cardio with companions is a whole different deal. Cardio with companions leaves you breathless not just from the steep climb but from the effort to share whatever drama happens to be unfolding. Or struggling to keep up with a faster walker or runner, not because your ego demands it but because you don’t want to miss a single word. If done right, cardio with companions makes the cardio part almost irrelevant as you struggle to breathe through the laughter or tears. Cardio with companions can fill your tank in a way that no solo jog or time on the elliptical can match.
It reminds me how much easier it is to do something hard when you don’t do it alone. It confirms the eternal truth that a burden shared is a burden halved, many hands make light work, and this too shall pass. Companions shine the flashlight so you’ll know how to follow the path, they walk beside you even when they don’t know what to do next, and they hold you up when you feel you are too weary to go on.
Today, I have a heart full of gratitude for mine. Be sure to let yours know how important they are too!
Boonedoggler 