Voices

Sometimes all you really need is for someone to believe in you.

Yep, I'm at the beach, and it's yet another year where I'm fat. And feel gross. And pig out. Such is life... Last night, I literally felt sick from everything I'd eaten- I started my day with Duck Donuts (multiple), had three lunches by noon, about five Little Debbies, Fried chicken, ribs, corn and lima beans floating in milk and butta, rolls, strawberry shortcake, and the list goes on... No joke. Today, I said to myself- No More! I had some cantalope- and reminisced about how it was my Pappy's favorite, and then decided to head out on a run. That's where Averey comes in.

Averey is my cousin... Well, actually my cousin's son, but he's always been just a straight-up cousin. He gets me and I like to think we have a little special connection- Well, besides the first five years of his life when every time he saw me he screamed bloody murder... He's a sophomore at Pitt, just an all-around amazing kid, and into health and fitness. Coming from a family that has fought obesity, deep down, I know that he "gets" how much my weight affects me. He's sweet as can be and offered to go running with me... I said I wanted to go on this 3.8 mile loop- knowing the farthest I'd truly run since having Ellie was 2 miles... and I've only run twice in over a year- HA! What can I say- I'm ambitious.:) After the first twenty yards, I know Averey thought to himself that this was a waste of time for himself- that it wasn't even a workout going at my pace- but instead of leaving me in the dust, he turned into my motivator. He made me keep going, and even brought out "Mom" lines like, "Come on, Shelley- Do it for your kids." And guess what... I did. All 3.8 hellish miles. Spladow!!! (O.k.. I swear I used to say that, but I just googled it, and that is sooo not what I mean... I'm using it in the 90's context- Just so ya know!)...

On the run, Averey made so many comments... Like how being unhealthy is the easy way. This is so true... Sometimes ya just have to work for it if you want to look good. And he let me vent about emotional eating, my kids coming first, the works. And before I knew it, I had done it. I had taken a measly 35 minutes out of my day- of which I probably would have had my ass on the couch- and gotten a feel-good workout in.

During my run, I also thought about my cousin Jenny. Well, I still call her my cousin... She had married my cousin, and they have since divorced... Long story short, years ago, I ran the same shoulder with her at the Outer Banks. She was just like Avers and took me out for a run- not for herself, but for me. She had gone through cancer treatments- lost her hair, the works and I'll never forget what she said. She said to me, "Shelley, I just put one foot in front of the other. I just keep going. Because I can." Coming from someone that was facing death, how amazing is that? It's true... Life changes, people come, and people go. As a mom, I have good days, and I have bad days. I have fat days, but I will have skinny days. And next year, I have faith that I'll be out running with Averey- giving him a workout. All because I'm going to put one foot in front of the other- because I'm lucky enough to be healthy and to be able to do so. And more than anything, because I can.