Skip to main content

Are You Willing...?



One day about seven years ago, I saw a woman who lived on our block out walking.  I'd seen her here and there, walking once in a while. She had a nice figure. I would say she was a 'well-figured' woman. Having all the curves tip to toenail women usually strive for,  in order to be considered beautiful,  healthy, so forth.

And when you're in you early forties, you may still be holding onto the figure that you had before children, as she appeared to have.
When she saw me, ready to run by her, she called out my name. I paused my running watch and jogged in place.
She continued. "I want to know how come you are so fit. I walk..."
She basically felt she did as much as I did physically... and that she should have my 'ehhh hmm' figure. I was stunned, to say the least.  Partly because I don't have the well-endowed figure. Rather, my aim is at being lean, spartan-like, and healthy.

Here she was a stay-at-home mom, not doing all the cleaning in her home (I did know this.), Not exercising everyday, with any regularity.  I never saw her out gardening when we could, nor swinging a pic-axe. Her hair and everything about her, was so properly coiffed.  She wore the perfect clothing for the suburban mom who was or I should say appeared perfect.


As I answered her knowing I have nearly a decade more of living on this earth than she... "Well, I've been now averaging 100 miles a week of running for decades, except when injured or ill. I clean my own home. I have business I run, it's full time. I have to be in shape, because it's a physical job. Besides, on the side I am as well a fighter... You know I have to run at midnight or two in the morning much because I want to be there for the kids. So, that's why i look like i do."

She appeared to not know what to say. So i added, "When you're ready to run a hundred miles a week let me know. It doesn't come without a price." I nodded. "I got to run now. Know that you already have the figure most women want. Take Care." And off I ran.

Years before,  before I became a fighter. A nurse who knew me said to me one day, "I'd never want to be you." I inquired, "Why would that be?" She replied, "The pain. It's too painful what you do. I don't get it." I replied, "I've never thought about the pain all that much.  But yes, there is pain in what i do. I don't focus solely on it, it's the process.  Its science I'm seeking." ---Jody-Lynn Reicher

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2023 Holiday Letter from the Reicher's

Well, I didn't think I'd be doing a Holiday Letter this year, but here goes... The Spirit of Norm is in the air. As the wind whips with minus a true snowstorm.  In hopes the Farmers Almanac was correct, I pray to the snow gods. Rain ensued the month of December thus far. We have nearly tripled the amount of rainfall usual for December in New Jersey. And I've witnessed its treachery. Storms such as these hit us hardest in July. Then remained fairly intense through til about early October.  Our daughters are doing well, Thank God.  Their Dad would be proud of them. Our oldest Sarah, now a Junior at UCLA pursuing her degree in Chemical Engineering. She's digging the whole California scene. Which I thought it was for her. She's had some good traveling on her off times from school. For her March 2023 week off, she drove her and a few friends out to Lake Tahoe and went downhill skiing for a first in nearly 5 years. She had to rent the ski equipment.  Funny enough when ...
3 comments
Read more

She's Not Exactly Betty White

She? Yes, she is not exactly Betty White. Nibbles is cute and funny, though. She's one of our two bunnies now nearing 100 years old. She at times appears to need a wheeled walker absolutely, with tennis balls. But instead, I've now spotted her, little rugs covering our living room to dining room floors. Not too many of them, for she would think she was close to a litter box and then there'd be a big mess.  Right now, I'm working mostly remotely. This allows for me to check on her four times a day. Too, I've made my office temporarily in our dining room.  And thank God for all that. Because I have to make certain her right leg that can no longer function as part of her hopping mechanics to get around, does not get hung up on the side of the litter box. I have to clean her hay excursions, she cannot always control her hay poops, never mind her bladder. That's where my excessive laundry loads have headed. No big deal. I barely use the dryer. I have a drying rack a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bunnies, Much Ado About Everything

At my new job this week, back at my old career as a LMT. I told the manager as the evening rolled in that my husband's bunny, Aspen had suddenly stroked out and passed just the morning prior. She had a couple of bunnies in the past. I remarked, "It's so weird now. The older bunny of the two free-range bunnies was expected to pass first, primarily because she was partially paralyzed for the past four months and had been on a bunny form of Meloxicam since mid-May 2024 daily." She, Nibbles had been getting more arthritic since November 2023, yet didn't seem to struggle until May 1st 2024. Her hopping and running around ceased about August 2024. Her ability to leap was November 2024. However, by July 2021 our youngest daughter started calling her, "The Confused Bunny." As it appeared that she was forgetting where she was. I thought that to be a possibility, because so many things had changed and were happening in our family. My husband became terminal sud...
1 comment
Read more