After hitting rock bottom with my health and fitness, I recently began to
get the extra payload off this fast climbing antique body of mine. My new
health kick is not by choice but brought about by doctor’s reprimand and the decision
to try to stay on this side of the grass as long as I can. My life goal is now
hang around until I can spoil the hell out of kids that will call me G-Dad. (to my children: No hurry please.. seriously I can
wait.. ) Part of my new fitness, clean living, clean eating program, I decided
to incorporate some running. What I do by most would not be considered running
or jogging but it’s more like waddling like a penguin. I would go on but fitness
is not the point of this post.
Like most exercisers I have down a routine. I run, I mean waddle four to
five times a week. I recently increased my distance and set out on my first
long run/ waddle. Every run begins and ends with me going through a large park attached
to my house. Every run begins and ends at the same path no matter the distance.
I’m on autopilot as there is no need to watch for traffic or any other hazards.
I took off on a long run because I read somewhere on a pop up add that I clicked
that you need to vary distance and speed. My speed ain’t increasing so I tried
to adjust my distance. After a 7.5 mile waddle I approached the winding road back through the park. I was headed home. I hurt. I was sucking eggs. I had a little
Ted Nugent “Stranglehold” blasting in the ear buds, picking up my tired heavy legs. I was anticipating a
victorious triumph. Huffing and puffing, something caught my eye. Out of my peripheral
vision, something moved. It startled me enough for me to stop and give it some
closer attention. When I stopped I noticed fifty feet from the path a figure lying
on the ground. I began to walk closer as I discovered it was an
old man lying flat on his back. As I approached he was reaching out for his
cane on the ground just out of his reach. I asked him if he was okay. He responded
(cue childhood memories of bad commercials) “I’ve
fallen and can’t get up.” I handed him his cane, helped him to his feet,
and he feel back down immediately. I asked if he was hurt to which he relied he
just was tired and he had walked too far. I asked what I could do for him. He
asked if I could help him get to the road and he would flag someone down. I
handed him his cane, I sort of carried, he sort of crawled until we got to the
road. I didn’t have my cell phone so I ran (fast this time) the rest of the way
to my house. I called an ambulance, said a prayer, and ran back to the park.
Help had arrived and he was fine. I got him professional help. He got checked
out. I saw him two days later walking again so it turned out good. He thanked
me. I was glad I was there. But what happened in the park is not the point of
this post as well.
My encounter in the park was a stark reality check of what happens daily in our
lives. There are people all around us, some strangers some close to us, who
need help. They might not ask for it. They may never even let us know they have
fallen but they are struggling. They may say they are alright and be hurting
inside. They are there if we just slow down and notice. As I reflected back I
admit that I was so wrapped up in me and my insignificant suffering, I almost literally
ran right by him. If I had missed him, it could or could not, have turned into
something tragic. What I did to help him was minimal but I know there are more
like him out there. Not old men falling in a park, but people who need me
to stop, listen, and help out. I don’t think our encounter was purely random. I
believe God was telling me to slow down fat boy. Take time to look around and
you will find people who need a little pick me up. It could be just a smile, a out stretched hand, a note, or it can be more involved. I also recollected he
actually did not ask me for help. God reminded me that some of the people
around me that need help; might not ask. Some people rather suffer than ask for
help. That’s just pride. But that doesn’t excuse me from not stopping nor
does it give me a pass to jog on by. So slow down, even if you’re tired, look
around, you might find someone who desperately needs some assistance and you
might learn something about yourself in the process of helping others. ..
Waddling on my friends… Tommy …
