Page 2 - MidWeek - Feb 10, 2021

2 MIDWEEK FEBRUARY 10, 2021
longed COVID-19 tunnel, minds might start to wander in an optimistic direction. For it is fun and hopeful to think about a few things we might do as concerns and restrictions are invariably lifted — for good! That is, only after we feed the family, pay the rent, check our mental/physical state and secure that our jobs are in place.
you?” I asked.
Dr. Gelb was a three-star
Just before our run, I looked down and started to pray.
Travel? Of late, that concept has mostly meant trav- eling between home, school, work and the supermar- ket. How nice it will be to once again feel a sense of freedom, even if it means just going to more places locally, something that we all took (understandably) for granted for pretty much our entire lives. We won’t have to plan excursions to avoid the human race (as much) any more, though we should remain COVID cautious when restrictions are lifted. Planes, trains, ships, Ubers — what a wonderful world it will be.
work together, we can do this.”
muscle and vigor.
After the second month,
“I like to pray before a race,” I said.
Attending events? While it’s too soon to say when, the time is coming when we will go to events again — movies, small concerts, school plays and who knows what else by late 2021?
That was just his initial challenge. His major goal was to be a four-star general. This entailed passing a phys- ical fitness test consisting of push-ups, sit-ups, pull ups and a 2-mile run in 16 min- utes.
To tell you the truth, I was scared. We had six months.
It will surely be better than yet another Zoom con- cert or acoustic showcase from a well-known art- ist’s living room that’s been our norm for the past 11 months. We won’t be getting together in huge groups anytime soon, but attending smallish events with anonymous people will be a diversionary step up from watching celebrities sing Imagine online. Dining sans paranoia will feel different, and great.
Dr. Gelb was my client, and he had asked for my help. “All right,” I said. “If we
Vitamin supplements and nutrition also helped him gain
The agility tests came
Learning To Achieve Goals Together
“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.” — Andrew Carnegie
AWhat To Do First
s more vaccinations reach more people and
“Ineed your help!” said Dr. Gelb.
we really can see a light at the end of this pro-
their fitness goals.
“Sure, what can I do for
before the run and Dr. Gelb passed them all.
As a personal trainer, I help clients meet
general in his 50s and a phy- sician.
“I was diagnosed with a neurological disorder. I can’t walk up the three flights of stairs to my bedroom, and it’s hard for me to grip anything.”
The author learned through training for a military physical fitness test with her client that anything is possible when you believe in yourself.
“What are you doing?” Dr. Gelb asked.
It sounded serious.
But could we? He was fac- ing medical issues, and I’ d never done anything better than a 10-minute mile. Yet, I agreed to accompany him on his 2-mile run. We would succeed or fail together.
Dr. Gelb was able to walk up the three flights of stairs to his bedroom and sleep in his own bed. He developed the strength to curl 10-pound dumbbells and squat almost 100 pounds. Soon, he was proudly flexing for friends and strangers alike.
He looked up at the sky and said, “He’s watching ... we’re gonna do this.”
“What do the doctors say?” I inquired.
I have never felt so con- fident. We finished the run under 16 minutes. Dr. Gelb earned his four stars, and I learned to believe in myself in a deeper way than I ever had.
“Don’t listen to the doc- tors!” he snapped.
SPEED BUMP by Dave Coverly
We began right away with sit-ups, push-ups and strengthening exercises with dumbbells and bands several times a week.
On the day of the test, I was more nervous than he; I knew I needed to achieve my goal for him to accomplish his. I couldn’t slow him down, or all would be lost.
Roxanne Yadao is a per-
sonal trainer in Hawai‘i. Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Lynne Johnson and Robin Stephens Rohr. Edited
by Sharon Linnéa.
New Century Schoolbook bold (scaled H 73.6)
Business meetings? Yes, virtual meetings have kept people quite busy (or buzz-y, as a numbing effect takes control by 3 p.m. daily), but simply sitting in a conference room or in someone’s office and feeling comfortable will be a welcome sign that things are getting back to normal.
Here’s one wish to focus on as our lives transform back to an era where we experience relative freedom of movement and choice. Let’s all not forget what got us here in the first place and keep in mind that while a vaccine is a shot in the arm, it is not the definitive COVID killer. Our minds can wander into this upcom- ing future, but let’s remain cognizant of the pitfalls of letting our guard (and our masks) down.
Think about it ...
CHASING THE LIGHT
with Roxanne Yadao
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com