January 1st 2018

“Rise and shine Deandra,” she texted at 5:25am this morning. I did not want to go. My bed warm and house chilly, it seemed much more appealing to close my eyes and ignore the inevitable. After all, I got up at 5:01am to turn the phone alarm off, touching “snooze” and my stomach was a bit queasy. A restless four hours of sleep caused my body and mind to protest after spending time before midnight among acquaintances. New year’s eve was a drain. A drag. The hurtful conversations and untruths from the night before still lingered in the early hours. So, naturally I put my head back under the fuzzy cover until that “get up and fight” song came to mind once again. Siok Hong and I had work to do on the Kemah bridge. Get up. Get out. Get movin’.

Know what you know. No exceptions. No excuses. No apologies. If the water leaks down the kitchen wall from the toilet upstairs and shorts out the microwave on new year’s day in your 42 year old house, remember the foundation was fixed just one month ago (for the 3rd time) and this is a minor setback. It’s okay that your living on concrete floors without baseboards. At least the water that was flowing from the middle patio through the kitchen and hallway into the front room creating a mini-river every time it rains since Harvey, has quit. Know what you are doing is right. Know what you are doing is good. Listen to your truth. Get up and fight.

I am so glad we ran up that tall bridge into the strong north wind this morning at 6am in Kemah. Hope came to life once again after realizing the pain in my body while running the rising incline of concrete in freezing cold over the waters between Clear Lake and Galveston Bay, would subside a bit. Body and mind began to work together along with my willing spirit to keep going. The drifting from the night before is done and I am anchored once again, remembering 2017– women’s march, Arizona, St. Patty’s Day bike ride, Hico, Colorado, Amarillo, Studio 64 Thanksgiving and a white Christmas.

The floor in the upstairs bathroom is dry and the toilet flushes with one swift push of the handle. No need to hold and count for 11 seconds before releasing. The hair dryer took care of the wet microwave circuit board to restore full functionality. And, my body is worn out from the work of the day; my mind is ready for a good night’s rest; my spirit is nourished by the successes of the day.  We rose and shone.

Maximize accomplishments and run with a friend! You are a success.