Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Training is definitely a process....

We had a breakthrough in training in our household today. My youngest went the whole morning without fading the stars on his training pants. He signaled when he needed to go potty and we went and he was right on cue. He started with interest in using the potty a year and a half ago, sitting down when others would go, even when there was nothing to show for it. Over the last few months I had brought the potty to the main floor to make it "easier" on him and tell me how frustrating it was that he would stand right beside the potty and soil himself. Then I would ask, when you need to go, what are you suppose to use? and he would respond "Potty!". Knowing what he was supposed to do, and even with it right in front of his face, he wouldn't apply what he knew. So to start off the week, I moved the potty back up to it's "proper" place and now that it takes more work to get to, it makes more sense for him to use it. Now of course this is just the beginning stages of the end of "diaperage" for him and he did explode in his pants this afternoon, but he is now applying what he knows and it is so encouraging to see that he has grown in his understanding.
I would like to apply the same growth to all areas of my life. To grow in my understanding as I go through training. As I have heard before "You haven't reached it yet, when you reach it, you'll be dead!" Life is definitely a process. So many stages to go through, and I you know you haven't been there before, because you haven't been this age before, or in this time in history before (no time travellers allowed =D), or at this point of understanding. Being aware of the fact that I am constantly in training as I AM a woman who strives for excellence (not perfection, but the best of every situation), means I will eventually grow out of my "training" pants and soiling myself to wearing the "big kid" undies. Not to say that I may not have an accident, but with the understanding that I can keep applying what I know, I will be able to keep going.
I used to do hurdles (back in the day) and I was fast. I didn't even have the right shoes or clothing. In one of my final races I tripped over the last hurdle and went rolling towards the finish line. I just sat there (bonks myself in the past). I was so far ahead I could've crawled to the finish line and won, but I didn't even get up, until I heard someone say "get up, you are right there!.....Just finish the race!" So now, my applied understanding tells me to 'Just finish the race!'. We may fall down, wipe out (still have the scars from that fall), trip, even go the wrong way, but turn around, steady your feet, get up and keep going..........this is life we are living.....we got a race to finish. And my hope is to not run it alone.
This week for me has been the first time in a long time that I have to be off my feet. They are damaged from a previous job that caused severe damage to my arches. I was out and about last week making the most of the weather before the snow came (and man, has it ever snowed....), but I am paying for all my gallivanting now. I feel stuck because of the snow and my limited mobility and I am glad that I am a part of this group of women as I don't feel totally cut off and also encouraged by the lives of others.
Anyways, off for a potty break.

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