10000 Steps

I read the other day that we are supposed to walk 10,000 steps a day. I painstakingly measured it and that is roughly the distance from my house... to the moon. (Please don't fact check that! Trust me on this.  I'm passing straight from the Troposphere through the Exosphere to the moon!) I downloaded a pedometer to my phone and decided to see how much I walk each day.  It was very... eye opening to say the least.

I found out that on a normal day I don't even walk 2,000 steps!!! One day I only registered 1,200 steps. (And that was with me shaking the phone vigorously! I might have even thrown my shoulder out cheating like this.  But there is no proof... So, it didn't happen.) But 1,200 steps?!? That's barely over a 10th of what I'm supposed to get EACH day!

Sure, there are days when I get about 4,000 steps.  Truth be told... those are the days I drink a TON of water. That really equals 1,200 steps NORMALLY and 2,800 steps going from my desk to the restroom!!! (For those who don't believe... water has a way of inspiring very much needed steps!) But, steps are steps no matter the inspiration.

I know that number is not 100% accurate.  But it's close enough to let me know that I really need to focus more on some important things and making those things happen.  Because, when you think about it, that 10,000 steps is a good metaphor for life.  Life starts with one step. Yeah, there is a debate on when life truly begins. But, that's not what I'm talking about.  I'm talking about learning a skill that will take you longer in your life than most other skills will take you... walking.

And even that has more meaning than just... walking.  When you are playing sports and you get hurt (not injured) what does the coach say? Walk it off. When you are in an abusive situation, what do your friends say? Walk away. When life hits you with an ACME-sized anvil worth of problems what should you do? Walk tall! When you are Aerosmith, what universal truth do you tell your fans??? Walk this way!

So many things in life tell you that the simple act of walking is so important to your life, future and legacy.  And, I'm not afraid to admit it... I'm in the process of learning how to walk again.  It's not a quick process like a newborn horse or giraffe.  It's deep down human survival.  Life can be kind.  And sometimes it can be downright cruel! We have a lot of control over a little and a little control over a lot! But, in the end... life will surprise us when we least expect it.

Sometimes that means we might physically have to learn how to walk again.  And I will never discount that struggle.  I can't imagine how much strength it would take to learn to physically walk again. I would never want to learn that lesson... again... the hard way.  But, I would challenge that learning to walk (figuratively) as a person again is just as important. And to be as honest as I can... Our lives will probably not be measured by all of the issues we had to deal with.  Our lives will probably be measured on how we walk.  Not really how far... but how.

And right there...
That very spot...

That's where I am right now.  I'm learning how to walk again.  Putting one foot in front of the other.  Falling more often than I would like... but getting back up.  Stumbling. Missing my mark. Getting frustrated. Getting tired.  Getting disgusted at times.  But never stopping. Never giving up.  Never believing this is my destiny. Never submitting that this is all my story has to offer.  So, I keep moving on.  Walking the best way I know how.  And that's why I decided to revive this blog.  It was dead and gone because of the events of life.

But it will live on just as I will live on.

Why?

Simply, because I choose to keep moving.
Simply, because I choose to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Simply, because I have taken 1 step...

I have 9,999 more steps to go...

And life's pedometer starts at zero every single day.