would you mind if a took a month to talk about preparation? for christians, easter sunday is the culmination of lent, a time of spiritual preparation. for parents who are pregnant, preparation is about buying clothes, fixing up a baby room, and adjusting to a brand new kind of living.
although a big believer in randomness and spontaneity, i value preparing for things that are unknown, untried, or uncertain. it just makes sense. to be prepared is to be better equipped to handle a new situation.
for about a month i have been making preparations for april 29th, 2013. as part of the preparation we bought a magic bullet food processor, protein powder, high-protein foods, and fruit. on the livestrong website, a section called myplate helps me to keep count of carbs, protein, fat, and of course calories. the nutritionist recommended eating small portions, slowing down, and reading food labels. the doctor asked that i lose several pounds to better prepare for april 29th. i have lost nineteen pounds.
the bariatric surgery is at 1:15, thirty days from today. and today marks the beginning of the countdown. for several of the next thirty days, i will use this forum to record my thought and feelings as b-day approaches. i invite you to follow along.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
We all were something once
that was the reply from a minister/substitute teacher to some boys in his class. he found them playing cards, which was against the rules. he made them a deal; if he won a card game with each boy, then they would leave their cards at home. otherwise, they could play cards at lunch. long story short, he beat them all. his reply was in answer to the question, "how can a minister be so good at cards?".
just as the minister was no longer a gambler, we all were something once that we are no longer. and whether he have told anyone, we know what we were or what we have done. some our choices have negative consequences with which we have had to deal.
what if we were to flip the meaning of the minister's reply to include those things that we were at one time, but can longer do them for one reason or another. to paraphrase marlon brando "i once was a contender". looking back at our past selves can be nostalgic, remembering what we looked like, the accomplishments we made, and skills we acquired, the people we knew, and the endurance and energy with which we faced the day.
when in public, i wonder how many people label me as an obese man with a walker. i wonder how many doctors want to have little interest in knowing more about me than a diseased or injured body part. most of all, i KNOW i wonder what ever happened to the real me. i look in the mirror and i cannot find him.
asking the wrong question will inevitably lead to a wrong answer. perhaps a better question is, "just who is the real me?. apart from my accomplishments, who am i? the question sounds easy to answer, but it is quite challenging to answer because it requires and honest and somewhat objective manner of evaluation to acknowledge our values, worldview, mindset, and personality. many of our cultural and religious training has taught us to be humble which translates as don't go bragging on yourself.
but digging into that question many reveal some deep, hidden treasures. how have my values translated in action? how have i helped others? about what that am i passionate. what gives my life meaning? you and i just might find some consistency throughout of lives. and we may find, as well, that life experiences have changed us in fundamental ways. there is, after all, an important balance of those positive qualities that have never changed and of those positive qualities that we have acquired over time.
today, i can chose to be proud of the real stephen right now as well as the past stephens. yes, i was something once, but most importantly, i am still someone who has every right and obligation to be proud.
just as the minister was no longer a gambler, we all were something once that we are no longer. and whether he have told anyone, we know what we were or what we have done. some our choices have negative consequences with which we have had to deal.
what if we were to flip the meaning of the minister's reply to include those things that we were at one time, but can longer do them for one reason or another. to paraphrase marlon brando "i once was a contender". looking back at our past selves can be nostalgic, remembering what we looked like, the accomplishments we made, and skills we acquired, the people we knew, and the endurance and energy with which we faced the day.
when in public, i wonder how many people label me as an obese man with a walker. i wonder how many doctors want to have little interest in knowing more about me than a diseased or injured body part. most of all, i KNOW i wonder what ever happened to the real me. i look in the mirror and i cannot find him.
asking the wrong question will inevitably lead to a wrong answer. perhaps a better question is, "just who is the real me?. apart from my accomplishments, who am i? the question sounds easy to answer, but it is quite challenging to answer because it requires and honest and somewhat objective manner of evaluation to acknowledge our values, worldview, mindset, and personality. many of our cultural and religious training has taught us to be humble which translates as don't go bragging on yourself.
but digging into that question many reveal some deep, hidden treasures. how have my values translated in action? how have i helped others? about what that am i passionate. what gives my life meaning? you and i just might find some consistency throughout of lives. and we may find, as well, that life experiences have changed us in fundamental ways. there is, after all, an important balance of those positive qualities that have never changed and of those positive qualities that we have acquired over time.
today, i can chose to be proud of the real stephen right now as well as the past stephens. yes, i was something once, but most importantly, i am still someone who has every right and obligation to be proud.
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