One of the new things in my life is something called, “cardiac rehab.” Cardiac rehab is where you work out three times a week at the hospital. While you are working out, you are surrounded by nurses and exercise physiologists who monitor your blood pressure and heart rate. It’s a good thing.
On my first day there I ran into a retired pastor I’ve known for many years. We were friends enough for him to ask me, “What are you doing here?” I answered, “for the same reason you are.” Then yesterday Don Bates from our church surprised me by being there. He came over to say a hello and said, “It catches up with the best of us, partner.” Don is great…he always knows just what to say. J
These experiences have set me to wondering not only who will I run into next at cardiac rehab, but also what I now share in common with others that I really had not before. What I mean is an awareness of something in my life that must now be monitored out of necessity instead of choice. I used to monitor my heart rate as a way to gauge how fast I could go on my bike. Now I monitor it to measure if my heart is healthy enough to even get on my bike. And here is the thing -- I do not appreciate having to be aware of this.
This new awareness also introduces a new limit in my life that for some reason I didn’t think I would have to deal with. Of course the reason I didn’t think I’d have to deal with it has something to do with the idea that this stuff doesn’t happen to me or that I’m somehow different than everyone else. Yet, as Don so graciously reminded me, “It catches up with the best of us.”
One of the things that I’m finding out about life as I live longer is that we share a lot more of the stuff that catches up with us than we imagined. And when we share one of these limits, it creates something like a common bond or at least a sense of facing a common challenge. This can help us understand each other.
Like yesterday, there was this one guy. He insisted on having his monitor put on him ahead of me, he talked to the nurses in a tone that I thought was disrespectful, and to top it off, he hurried into the shower before me making me have to wait and then run late for my next thing. I mean, what makes him so special?
So I’m hurrying to make my next thing, when this guy comes to my mind. And what comes to my mind is not what a jerk he had been or what was his problem. No, I wondered how many stents he had in him keeping him alive and left it at that.
Keep the Faith,
Pastor Dan
On my first day there I ran into a retired pastor I’ve known for many years. We were friends enough for him to ask me, “What are you doing here?” I answered, “for the same reason you are.” Then yesterday Don Bates from our church surprised me by being there. He came over to say a hello and said, “It catches up with the best of us, partner.” Don is great…he always knows just what to say. J
These experiences have set me to wondering not only who will I run into next at cardiac rehab, but also what I now share in common with others that I really had not before. What I mean is an awareness of something in my life that must now be monitored out of necessity instead of choice. I used to monitor my heart rate as a way to gauge how fast I could go on my bike. Now I monitor it to measure if my heart is healthy enough to even get on my bike. And here is the thing -- I do not appreciate having to be aware of this.
This new awareness also introduces a new limit in my life that for some reason I didn’t think I would have to deal with. Of course the reason I didn’t think I’d have to deal with it has something to do with the idea that this stuff doesn’t happen to me or that I’m somehow different than everyone else. Yet, as Don so graciously reminded me, “It catches up with the best of us.”
One of the things that I’m finding out about life as I live longer is that we share a lot more of the stuff that catches up with us than we imagined. And when we share one of these limits, it creates something like a common bond or at least a sense of facing a common challenge. This can help us understand each other.
Like yesterday, there was this one guy. He insisted on having his monitor put on him ahead of me, he talked to the nurses in a tone that I thought was disrespectful, and to top it off, he hurried into the shower before me making me have to wait and then run late for my next thing. I mean, what makes him so special?
So I’m hurrying to make my next thing, when this guy comes to my mind. And what comes to my mind is not what a jerk he had been or what was his problem. No, I wondered how many stents he had in him keeping him alive and left it at that.
Keep the Faith,
Pastor Dan
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