Enjoy the Ride ... :-)

Has the following ever happened to you? 

You're in the car on an interstate heading toward ... oh, I don't know ... humor me and pick your favorite destination for the sake of my story.  :-) 
You're coasting down the highway and all of the sudden you realize ~ 

"Woah!  I'm alot farther down the road than I thought!" 

You don't even remember getting from point A to point B! 

Huh?  What?!?  How did that happen?  Good thing you didn't hit anything along the way because it would appear you weren't even paying attention to the road for a while there.  What were you thinking about - what distracted you?  Did you zone?

THAT, my friends, is what I have come to realize I have been doing thus far on my post gastric bypass journey.

I have "arrived" at my goal but I've almost missed SOOO many sights along the way.  I had been daydreaming about the "when" -- thinking about what life would be like when I reached my goal, worrying about whether or not I would be able to "maintain" my loss once I got there, etc., etc., etc. ... SOOO preoccupied with getting "here" (and to carry the above analogy just a bit farther, of course I have decided I'm still wide awake and can drive a little farther -- aka -- I want to lose another 10 pounds beyond my initial goal weight) - but so preoccupied with getting here that I've kinda zoned out along the journey!  I've missed some key "fun" sights that I had promised myself I'd savor along the way! 

It's not tooooo late to stop and smell the roses so ... here are some favorite landmarks I was anticipating seeing for such a long time that I almost missed completely: 

• I am now buying clothing off the rack in any store I walk into.  We're talking bras, underwear, blouses, dresses.  Even pants!  UNHEARD of 1 year ago today!
• This past Halloween I was able to buy a costume from a REGULAR people store (not blow up purple balloons to be a plump juicy grape)!  Unheard of Halloween 2009!
• I did walk into Victoria's Secret and purchase something other than body lotion -- I was actually able to pick 5 CUTE underwear for $25 right off the table.  SOOOO cool and something I promised myself someday I would do and I would savor the moment the day I did it.  Unheard of 1 year ago! 
• This year our company is hosting it's annual "Super Bowl Chili Cook-Off and Jeans & Jersey Day."  I have worked here going on 11 years and I have never once been able to fit into a football jersey (decent "normal people" size) and/or wear cute jeans.  THIS coming Friday I will do just that!!  I went to Sears to pick up my football jersey and purchased a girls size medium right off the rack.  Unheard of 1 year ago!
• I went on a 14.2 m. bike ride with my husband today up to the Shasta Dam.  I kept up with him the entire ride, we talked the whole time, we laughed, we enjoyed the sights, and I LOVED the time together.  I rode my bike with my husband!  Unheard of 1 year ago today!
• I am wearing mascara, earrings, lip gloss, necklaces.  Not "unheard" of because it was impossible a year ago but ... I just didn't feel good enough about myself to wear any of these things one year ago!
• I purchased 3 -- count em' -- THREE -- bras with ease.  Prior to my "now" I hated bra shopping because it took me forever to find a bra that didn't cut into my skin -- front and/or back.  NOW?  Off the rack baby -- off the rack.  Well ... on my rack but ... purchased "off" the rack!  ;-)  Also would've been "unheard of" 1 year ago today!
• I can walk with ease from point A to point B.  I'm not winded - I'm not sucking air - I'm not embarrassed.  Unheard of one year ago today!
• I can grocery shop with ease.  (I still HATE grocery shopping ... not much has changed in that department from one year ago today but ... details, details!) ... I can move, shop, breathe, talk.  Unheard of 1 year ago today.
• When I'm at work, I can run across the street for something when called upon to do so and ... I can literally "run" across the street.  If I happen to meet up with someone on the other side of the road (such as happened this past Wednesday) - I can completely carry on a conversation without trying to hide how much difficulty I'm having breathing.  Unheard of 1 year ago today!

I write this not to brag - honestly - but to emphasize the need to pay attention, to savor the "moments", to encourage you to NOT miss the sights along this post gastric bypass journey!

The joy IS in the journey.  Getting to the destination is SWEET but there are sooo many beautiful things to look at, acknowledge and enjoy along the way!

Here's to you, friends!

SAVOR THE MOMENTS ...

Yesterday's History

Tomorrow's a Mystery

Today is a GIFT ...

That's why we call it the PRESENT.

Open & enjoy your gift.  Don't be like the little kid at Christmas who is so quick to get to the next present he opens and then quickly tosses the current gift to the side.  THIS gift - this journey - is pretty grand!  SAVOR IT - SIT WITH IT, ENJOY IT! 

And by the way -- give yourself some credit -- you've earned it!!!  :-)