In those rare, quiet moments when no one is screaming, no one is crying, and the pots on the stove aren't boiling, I like to sit back and think about my life and who I am and where I come from and where I'm going. Just kidding. When that happens I grab whatever book I'm reading and head to the back deck! I pretty much know who I am, where I come from, and who really wants to know where they are going? Isn't that the fun of life--a little mystery?
But if I ever were to ponder deeper things, perhaps one of the things I would examine in depth would be the fact that the majority of my friends are people I've met at the gym, or people I run with in the insanely early (or hot) hours of a weekend morning. It's really no mystery that the girls I like to spend my time with are, well, a lot like me.
1. I NEVER feel self-conscious about showing up at the Y or the track wearing no make-up. Some of these people have seen me after teaching 4 classes in a row, after an afternoon outdoor Bootcamp, or at the end of 26. 2 miles on a December day that was unseasonably warm.
2. The gym is the only place a pregnant lady can do burpees, bleachers, and bicep curls with the heavy bar and not get those questionable stares from folks who think I should have my feet up and a wash cloth on my head for the remainder of my 9 months. In fact, I can always count on some of those ladies to look straight past my swollen belly, and in a dead serious tone, tell me, "I need you to kick my butt today!"
3. I'm not a shopper. I'm not a luncher. What I am is a busy mom with not much time for socializing; so if I can meet some friends, chat through a 10k training run, push someone through 25 laps in the lane next to me, or work a little gossip into a good Spin Mix class, I'm all for it.
4. On those rare days when I do have a little extra time, what better to do than hit the pool deck for a small dose of R and R with those very same ladies who don't really care how I look in a swimsuit. So what if I'm pregnant and still wearing my two-piece?
5. I really don't need Pinterest. In my little group of fitness friends, I have a horticulturist, a biologist, a bartender, a nurse, grandmothers, retired school teachers, and so many more. If I have a question, I can pretty much count on getting an answer (or two or three or four).
6. I say this in the nicest way possible: some people just don't understand how good a nasty, stinky sweat can make you feel. When your pony tail needs to be wrung as badly as your t-shirt does, and you always keep a towel in the trunk because you're worried about sweat stains on your car upholstery, you've hit pay dirt. And when you find other ladies who know, I mean really understand that logic, you've struck gold.
So you hang on to them. Miss them when they're gone. Swap babysitting services when needed. Pray for them when they need it. Party with them when you can. And of course, call them out on Facebook when they miss one too many sweat sessions. Because deep down (because they are just like you), you know that's what they'd want.
