Several times a week, I set my alarm to go off at 4:45 AM. I'll admit that it usually hurts to peel my eyes open, but I never regret it when I manage to crawl from the bed to my shorts and sneakers that I set out the night before. When I step into the gym, the bright lights expose a world unto itself where just-woken men and women move with purpose from machines to weights to mats. There was a time when I would have felt self-conscious there. I was never an athlete; in fact, I was awkward, but I've developed enough confidence through experience that I can do my own thing without hesitation. With my earbuds in place, I have a connection with the world beyond middle school that I can absorb for one solitary hour, with no family, no students, to turn to me for help.
Jay sits at the front desk, and while no other employee manages to crack a smile at the crack of dawn, he always calls members by their first names when he says good-bye. And from then on, the routine flows smoothly, my cup of coffee is always better, and my muscles are usually still warm when I walk into school.
Life lesson: What's not easy to begin, can be the most satisfying in the end.
Leah - you make me want to work out in the morning! I especially like the idea you mention of having a connection with the world beyond middle school and family. That seems so important for being able to maintain our own identities.
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