Saturday, January 16, 2010

Full Circle

Sometimes when you make physical changes in your life, you make emotional ones as well. Ya see, I work out at the LA Boxing in Ashburn, VA. Good ole' Ashburn, Virginia.... During every class, when I'm out of breath and gasping for air while I take a water break, I look out the window, and this is what I see:



Growing up, I used to go to Vacation Bible School across the street at that church. I have such happy memories of those weeks... running in the fields, singing in the chapel, and having the best orange drink and cookies during snack- There's nothing better than VBS cookies. That really wasn't even my church- but back then Crossroads United Methodist Church (Formerly Ashburn/Ryan United Methodist Church) had about ten kids in the congregation, so we'd join up with the Presbyterian church for bible school. "Cashburn" is quite the populated area now, but when I was growing up, it was cornfield and cow country. About a mile from LA Boxing is where Broad Run High School is... It's where I graduated from high school, where my mom graduated from high school, where my grandmother was married and born. My great grandparents used to farm the land where the high school was built. A lot has changed since then.

During high school, I made excellent grades, played sports year round, and never really got into much trouble. But what most people never knew was at home, I was the meanest person in the world to my parents. All they ever did was cater to my every need and spoil me, but I was so hateful. I hurt them so much... all for no reason. No one would believe it, but at times, they would have to call the police because of my temper tantrums! I would ALWAYS tell them, "I'm never going to live around here- You are NEVER going to see your grandchildren, No one in our family has ever moved away, and I'm going to move and never come back!"

I got married right out of college, and set off to travel and start a life of our own full of adventure. We loaded up a Penske truck and moved out to Oklahoma the day after our wedding day. We moved around for six years before we made it back to the area. I made some great friends along the way, but the whole time, the only thing I wanted was to be back near my family.

Fast forward to now... I am totally eating those hateful words I said as a teenager. I talk to my parents at least five times a day. They sometimes have to tell me to stop calling.:) My mom is my best friend and there's no place I'd rather live than in Loudoun. My parents are always willing to watch my children so I can get a workout in, and I wouldn't have it any other way. So, I have a weight problem... I'm working on it- and through this process; I'm learning that sometimes you don't have to set out to conquer the world. Sometimes, happiness is right there smack dab in front of your face. Sometimes, you don't need to chase after it, it's right there, staring at you and you just don't know it:

I'm learning more and more each day how grateful I am... and that despite all of my flaws, fat rolls, and issues, there's no place in life I'd rather be right now. Before this journey, I was happy with every area of my life except for how I felt in my own skin. LA Boxing is teaching me to have confidence and to love myself. I guess all this time, I was just an Ashburn girl at heart, and I'm now finally able to enjoy the view.:)

No comments:

Post a Comment