I Came to Be Better

The gym reeks with the odors of change. It sticks to me like a damp humidity that makes me worry I’m picking up a tropical disease. Day in and day out I walk through the doors, greeted by the same feeling of risk, linked with a hope to be better.

Today I jumped on the stair climber. One foot after another I climbed to nothing, but I did not loose my focus—as the risk of falling was too great. When I was sufficiently adding to the all around odor of change, I moved to the elliptical—definitely a more mindless machine. I plugged into a great talk and was on my way. 

I looked to my left and saw the cutest, hippest elderly woman and I thought, “Wow. I wish I looked that good!” Then I reverted back to the sounds in my ears. Thirty seconds later I looked to my right and saw a heavier woman jogging on the treadmill, and I was impressed, but grateful I didn’t have as far to go as her in the “change department.” Oops. Distracted again. “This is such a great listen,” I say to myself. “I’ll have to rewind.” Twenty seconds later I was lost again. “Oh what is that new purple fingernail polish on the T.V? How can it be purple but clear at the same time?” Then I look to the TV next to it, “Check out these Presidential candidates, they are nuts!” Focus Michelle! Focus! Rewind again. “Wow, look at that guy! He looks like a monkey.”  Then I wonder, “Did anyone see that lady who is 10 times smaller than me, lift the equivalent of me?”  “I’ve got to work harder!” “And check out that crazy mosquito disease! We’re all going to die!” 

In less than 10 minutes I had convinced myself I was too heavy and not working hard enough. Worse than that I was mindlessly belittling others. The eight different news channels playing convinced me that America was simple headed for the toilet, and the entire world was in for an unstoppable deadly plague. And I can’t forget that trashy music video playing, and the ever important reminders “to look your best at the gym.” I was so stressed and unhappy, and entirely unfocused on why I even came to such a stinky place.

The talking in my ear brought me back to reality, and the thought hit me. “You came here to be better, so stop being distracted and be better! Not better than the people around you, but better than you were yesterday. Then come back tomorrow and be better than you were today, and if by chance you slip a bit, come back the next day.”

In Michelle fashion, my thoughts turned to family. How often am I so easily distracted from my family? A quote from Robert D. Hales came to my mind. “When you cannot do what you have always done, then you only do what matters most.” My family and my God are what matters most to me. And so. I say to myself, “Michelle, don’t be distracted! Not by mosquitos, politicians, or your own feelings of inadequacy. You are here to be the best mom and wife and person you can be. You are here to be better than yesterday, and hopefully a little better than that tomorrow. You are here to do your best. Stay focused, because the risk of falling is too great!”

There is always hope and peace to be found for ourselves and our families through our Savior Jesus Christ. He is the reason we can be better every day. Jesus Christ is the reason for hope in such a distracting world. He is the Lasting peace our homes and families need. Happy Easter!