The concept for this blog was born after a really difficult day that ended with a huge plate of spagetti and a glass of red wine, enjoyed while sitting on the floor in our tv room. My husband and I had just returned from a very moving reception our town provided for the Northern Haiti Hope Foundation, an organization that we which we had peripheral involvement, but hadn't really been aware of the deep impact on the community of Terrier Rouge, Haiti. I will definitely be covering more on that in my next post.
For now, a little backstory...
In the car on the way home from the reception, my husband and I unpacked the news of the day: his work stresses, my job search, and to my chagrin, my confession that as of that afternoon's weigh-in and despite paying dues to WeightWatchers for more than two years, I had gained a total of 30 pounds. (I don't blame WW. I take full responsibility for gaming the system, crash dieting, cheating, and generalized goofing off). I have gained this 30 pounds before, and lost it. Weight gain has become less of a vanity, or body image issue for me than it is a health burden, and a sign to me that my life lacks focus.
Various factors contributed to my most recent ballooning, but these are the two biggies (pun intended):
1. After about a year of considering it, I decided to make a major career leap and quit my full time management job which just happened to be in the wine industry. (I LOVE wine. And I LOVE CHEESE!! I love a WARM BAGUETTE!! I REALLY, REALLY LOVE CHOCOLATE!!!!! see where this is going?)
2. I am really attached to family, and in September of last year, we found out that my dear Mom was struggling with a very rare, very tough, very mean form of cancer: Ewings Sarcoma, PNET. Some nights I just can't sleep thinking about it. And when you're a zombie in hour 3 of Rotisserie Oven demos on late-night home shopping, you just might throw the Points out the window and go for a chocolate chip cookie (or four) and a tall glass of moo juice.
So now, I sit here, pursuing a career dream, and blessed to say that Mom has made it through chemo, and is hopefully on her way to remission.
Here I sit, as heavy as I've ever been, kinda miserable, and living in a paradox of blessings.
As I mentioned before, the hubs and I have been lingering on the outskirts of a community group in our town that aides a community in Haiti. Their tag line is "this Community for that Community." We've discussed about how much needs to change, and the seemingly insurmountable odds faced by those trying to impart positive change on a forgotten corner of the world. (Which is only a few hour plane ride away from mainland USA) And yet, we as a couple have really done nothing other than shake our heads and say, "when," and "how" and "why."
We live in a country that despite faults has a healthcare system, government and infrastructure miles beyond what folks in Haiti will ever experience. We have roof over our heads, cars to drive, community schools, and clean water from the tap. But change is needed here, too. We've been taking all of this for granted.
We're turning over a new leaf, starting out on a new path, and we're doing it with Haiti in our hearts.
The next year will look a little like this:
I am going to be supporting a student at Ecole St. Bartholemy, through the Northern Haiti Hope Foundation with the dues $ previously designated to WW.
I will be training for the Northern Haiti Hope Foundation, Run Like the Wind 5k on October 6, 2012 using the Couch-to-5k app.
I will be attempting to run a 5k every month for the next year and fundraising in this effort through an online portal for the Northern Haiti Hope Foundation.
I will be updating this blog periodically with info about Terrier Rouge, news about my running training, mindful eating, and just daily notes on life.
I am excited about this new path, and I look forward to sharing it with you.
You are always welcome to join me on a run!
