Last night I made it to the gym for the first time in…a while.  I wasn’t feeling so thankful for my workout just yet though…Last night when I put Leila to bed I asked her what the best and worst parts of her day were, as I do every night.  Yesterday’s best part was about going to recess.  Leila said, “I felt so free!  I walked out the door, and I counted to ten and then I ran! And I felt so free!”  I got it, right away.  I myself had pushed myself a little harder, and ran a little further than my body was accustomed to, all because of that freeing feeling.

This fall my cousin was in a farming accident and lost one of his legs as a result. As an athletic high school senior, his life started looking a bit different.  Being the resilient young man that he is, it didn’t take long for him to get moving again, but I bet it will be a while before he is running.  I have no doubt that it will happen though.  For now, I am thankful for my healthy body that allows me to feel that free feeling as I run around and around the track at Performance Health. I am thankful for my sweet, thoughtful daughter and her ability to vocalize her feelings in such a cool way.  I am also thankful for Collin’s resilience, and that before we know it, he will be running too!