This may be my new slogan. I’ve been trying to implement more discipline in my life, so I’ve started walking in the mornings over the past three weeks or so (and I’m blaming Boaz for it). I still haven’t gotten past the “I hurt. I ache. This is aweful. Why would anyone in their right mind be getting up an extra hour to do this to himself? Remind me what the point of this is…” phase. This morning as I was just past my midpoint, my calves started cramping. I actually called my wife on the way home to ask her if anyone has ever died from walking, because I felt as if I could at any moment. She laughed (some people are soooo insensitive!), I moaned, and pressed on.
By the time I made it home, I still ached, but not nearly as bad. I had to press myself to go beyond what I thought I was capable of doing in order to receive the payoff, rather than just quitting when it was uncomfortable. I guess this is the point of this entry: “No Pain – You’re Sane.” Sanity, as we know it, is just doing the norm. When things become tough and unbearable, we quit (or say G-d is “blocking” that path). But in order to rise above ourselves and go to that next level in our lives, we have to go beyond the pain, beyond sanity. We have to follow the lead of the Apostle Sha’ul (Paul) and beat our bodies (and minds and whatever else is getting in the way) into submission in order to attain the prize waiting for us in the end.
Here’s my plea: Don’t be sane!!! Start some insanity in your life and “crank it up a notch!” Let’s live beyond an egocentric existance. Let’s be movers and shakers for the Kingdom and see this world transformed!
I think I may have even inspired myself! Who knows…? Maybe tomorrow I’ll “crank it up a notch” myself and walk 2 blocks! :-D
-dh
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Hey, thanks for opening up the comments for non-blogger types like myself. I just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoy your site.
Rosh Chodesh Tov! (Is there a proper greeting for the New Moon?)
Thanks, Seth. It’s good to hear from people that I have never met, and who I didn’t know were reading the blog. I appreciate your taking the time to say hi.
As for the greeting, I believe it’s normally something simple like “Yom Tov.” However, from the beginning of Elul (starting tonight) and throughout the High Holiday season, we say the blessing “May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year” (Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim) in our correspondence to one another, since Rosh Hashannah and Yom Kippur are around the corner.
Darren:
No need to worry on this end. I have not been sane for YEARS! LOL Blessings on your two block walk!
Shalom,
Bill