So this story has been unfolding for awhile, about 3 months actually. I have been going to the gym with my husband for a long time and I always see new people come and go to the gym. But this particular day about 3 months ago there was this one girl that just stuck out to me! She was on the elliptical machine and was barely going but she stayed on at her slow pace for almost the length of time I was on the treadmill, which was about 45 minutes. I was so impressed with her dedication because I know it wasn't easy for her. I am guessing that she is about 350 pounds! I could not quit thinking about her that day because I know what kind of COURAGE it took her to JUST to come to the gym.
You see, I was once 254 pounds and had to walk into a gym a long time ago and start a long journey to fight back for my health after some very hard life battles had consumed me for many years. (you can read my previous blog titled "I'm starting on Monday") I remember how embarrassed I was to walk into the gym, but I didn't let it stop me. I remember being stared at, I remember moving slowly and having people right next to me running at top speed. When you are beginning on this kind of journey, it is easy to get discouraged. Thank goodness I had the will power and dedication to continue and eventually succeed...but it was a fight for many months to NOT QUIT!
So, when I see overweight people at the gym I have an immediate compassion for them, even without having a clue where they are mentally! I just felt so drawn to her and even felt immediately prompted to go talk with her and befriend her! I kept thinking I would wait for her to finish on the elliptical before I would talk to her....every time I continued working out and didn't go talk to her. I would say to myself, "I don't want to embarrass her", or "or she is working out I don't want to disturb her." She left, I left and that was it. About two more times I saw her and had the same thought that I needed to go talk to her! Well, I finally decided to stop in the middle of my workout on the treadmill and just do it! I walked around trying to find paper to write a short note on and hand it to her since she had earphones on and was in the middle of her workout! I went to my car so excited that I was finally going to act on this prompting to go talk to her.... I went to my car to get a business card and paper to write my note. I wrote on the paper that my name was Heather Earl and I have been in her shoes before and I would love to be her workout partner is she was interested! That I only lived around the corner and was flexible on when I could come. That I would love to get to know her and be her friend. I actually got a little glossy eyed when I wrote it. I locked up my car, run back in the gym excited to go give it to her and SHE IS GONE! I CAN'T FIND HER ANYWHERE! I ran back out to the parking lot and looked for her but never saw her! I went back into the gym and finished my workout and just thought "Oh well, I will give it to her next time I see her for sure" Well, next time didn't come! A month and half went by! I continued to think of her and I felt so sad! Sad that I missed and opportunity, sad that i felt like I had failed her and my Heavenly Father by not acting on the prompting immediately. And I felt personally that I had let myself down because I am actually really good at listening to my promptings! Why not this time? I couldn't get the girl out of my head! Because I didn't see her again I started thinking...If only I had talked to her, she may still be here everyday! I also thought, that I had an opportunity to show love to someone that needed it and missed it and I will now never get that moment back. So I actually started praying that this girl wherever she was and whatever she was feeling or going through would come back to the gym! I had learned my lesson of not acting fast enough and not listening to my prompting! But this was not about me! I wanted her to succeed! She deserved a friend and I wanted to be her friend! I prayed for a month!
Well, I was at the gym last week and I was on the treadmill totally into my jamming music and running when all of a sudden I happened to look to my right and out of the corner of my eye....THERE SHE WAS! I was so happy! But of course Satan is always right there...Don't go yet, wait until you finish running! NOPE, NOT THIS TIME! I can always get back on the treadmill and pick up where I left off! I hit STOP and got off and decided just to walk up to her and talk to her instead of a note on paper! I just introduced myself and said I noticed she had not been there and I had been wanting to talk to her to tell her that I was interested in being her workout buddy if she ever wanted to work out together! She immediately started crying and put her face in her towel! I patted her back and began to tell her that I had once been in her shoes..She looked me up and down and said, No way! I said oh yes way! She said, that her tears were because she had been in the gym for months and I was the first person to speak to her! I began to tear up too! I told her that I had meant to talk to her sooner but that I just didn't do it soon enough! We exchanged numbers and talked about our schedules and I told her that if she ever felt discouraged that she could call me or text me because we all need someone to lift us up occasionally! I went home and got on my knees...grateful for being given another chance to make that moment right! She was the sweetest thing ever! I'm sure she has got so many hurts bottled up and ready to fight back for her life and health! I hope that I can be there for her and be her cheerleader!
I learned so many things from this experience! First off...that we should never wait when the prompting to act is there! I normally always act on my promptings but this was a great reminder of when you don't because you never know what the cost may be! YOU NEVER KNOW THAT OPPORTUNITY YOU MAY HAVE MISSED! I learned that you can never JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER.... which is what she did to me! She assumed that I had always been in the shape I was in and had no clue that I could actually empathize with her and where she is right now or how she felt! I learned that this world needs more people willing to speak up and reach out! For me to be the only one to ever speak to her at the gym is sad! Even just a smile would have worked but she never experienced friendliness from anyone!
Life is too short to be judgemental! Why do people do it??? We need to love each other without judgement! We need to plant seeds of God's love.... When we give this kind of love, it reaches deep into the inner man, REMOVES BARRIERS, and causes and open spirit to emerge, to be receptive to truth, goodness, and change! As we love, we can receive His love and that is when the miracle happens! We begin to look at our neighbors with profound respect and awe for who they are and what their potential really is and we overlook flaws NO MATTER WHAT THEIR OUTSIDE PACKAGE IS COVERED IN!
Find JOY in looking at the heart and not judging people for you have no idea what sorrows they are carrying! Be someone who desires to make a difference! Offer your love and love without refrain!
Find JOY in the verse JOHN 3:16 "For God so loved the world..."
LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY!
Go find your person that you can reach out to and make a difference! It brings GREAT JOY!
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