October 31st, 2015 No Candy Fare Needed

October 31st, 2015 No Candy Fare Needed

When my daughters were little, we bundled them up and took them trick or treating every year. At over 500 pounds, I couldn't walk too far in one stretch. I watched from the car as Irene took them from house to house. I would pick them up at the end of each block then ask for a candy bar as a "fare" to the next block. Horrible, I know. It happened. Not proud of it, their 500 pound father basically demanding candy to continue--uhg... but now, two decades later, we can recall, smile and even laugh about those times.

Tonight was Noah's first turn at trick or treating. None of us wanted to miss it, so we all went along. It was seven adults and one of the most adorable Tiggers making our way around, gathering candy. Both of my daughters, Irene and a few others came along. Noah wasn't sure about it at first, but he quickly figured out that this was likely the greatest thing of all time. People open their door and give me candy, for free? It wasn't long before he was literally running from house to house.

There wasn't any of the old driving as they walked, business. We parked and all of us walked. At one point, far away from where the cars were waiting, I literally ran two and a half blocks back to mine to quickly shuttle Noah to the next area. No candy-fare needed. That kind of physical freedom feels incredible.

Afterward, we all gathered for dinner at the Mexican restaurant closest to my apartment. I was shocked at how well Noah, at two years, knows how to use his Nana's smart phone. He was watching kids videos after eating...watch a little while, swipe through some other options with his cute little fingers, then start a different one...watch...then swipe...start another and watch some more. Fascinating how the device is so intuitively designed, a two year old can figure it out.

Today was a great day all the way around. I caught up on some rest, exercised well at the YMCA, maintained the integrity of my calorie budget, exceeded my water goal and continued to hold sacred my abstinence from refined sugar.

This is the second Halloween in a row without some kind of candy going in my face. A candy-less Halloween is something I couldn't imagine two decades ago. I can honestly say it isn't even a question or a temptation at this point. I don't consume refined sugar, period. It's just a fact. It's not "I try to stay away from refined sugar," or "I do my best to not eat sugar," or "I usually don't eat refined sugar." It's "I don't consume refined sugar." I treat it very much like I'm allergic and the reaction would surely kill me. And really, that's not too far removed from the truth when you think about it. If I eat refined sugar, I will relapse--and if I relapse, I will gain weight rapidly--and if I ever go back to those much higher weights, 350, 400 or 500 pounds, eventually it will kill me.

I wrote a Facebook micro-blog today:

This search many of us are on, isn't for anything external. Ultimately, what is found lives within us. The perspectives needed for positive change lie in wait of our discoveries along the way. Each perspective is waiting its turn to enlighten. The search, when redefined, becomes a self-study full of trial and error. The epiphanies that come with our consistent pursuit, reveal the secrets hibernating within our heart, mind and soul. And then we realize, our search was ultimately for the belief that it was within us the entire time. Once we believe it's in there, on a spiritual, mental, emotional and physical level, we transform. And we do because the limiting thoughts we once embraced, are exchanged for limitless possibilities.

Someone commented, "A little verbose, but true." 

I invented verbose, of course it is! I'm intentionally verbose most of the time. How many ways can I say this, or how much clarity can I give this thought? It's part of my writing style. I could have refined it down to a sentence or two, but that's not much fun for me. I enjoy my verbosity.

My Tweets Today:
































Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
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