Day 39: 275 Consecutive Running Steps!

Meditation Chapel, The Grotto, Portland, Oregon

Yup, I did!  There is no try. Only DO!

I am awfully sore today. Yesterday I increased my reps and weights at the gym, focusing on chest, triceps and abs.

After the gym I was worried about uncontrollable hunger that evening. My plan was to go to the Grotto and walk the labyrinth and have some quiet, contemplative time with God.

So I stopped at Taco Time and had a taco, mexi-fries, mini cheese quesadilla and a diet Coke.  I think that is why I hurt more today.  The high sodium content.  But I had a good day yesterday. I fasted from 4 p.m. until my 1/2 grapefruit at noon today. Then I made some veggie burgers out of some leftover brown rice. And topped it off with a small portion of berry cobbler and greek yogurt.  It is 4:00 p.m. as I write this.  Again, I seem to get this angst about this time. I
actually welcome the hunger pangs and empty stomach, but my fear is that I will not be able to persevere.

But so far, I have!  I have a student this evening. I think I will stop and get a salad somewhere. And I need to buy more grapefruit. My daughter was saying the sweet potatoes sounded yummy, so I'll get some and bake them. One of my piano student's moms suggested baking a sweet potato and topping it with coconut spread. Yummy and chock full of vitamins!

Tomorrow is breakfast day with mom.  I don't have as many students as usual, so I will bring my music for my concert and use that time to practice.  I've decided to allow myself a cheeseburger at Burger King on Saturdays.  Not a whopper like last week! Perhaps a Whopper Junior and a side salad.

I'm all about little rewards.  I've lost another pound by the way!

Today I did a nice walk. After about 30 minutes, I felt warmed up and broke into a jog.  I did 275 consecutive steps.  I am aiming for 300 next time!

But I didn't finish talking about the Grotto.  I never ceased to marvel at the beauty of this place. I walked into the gift shop and bought my ticket for the elevator to go to the upper level.  There were very few people there.  I felt very heavy and tired (probably from my Taco Time lunch). But I knew it was good that I was there.  The tall fir trees encircle the grounds, cooling off the temperature and giving a feeling of ancient mystery.  I took the elevator up the 110 foot cliff. My first stop was the meditation chapel. I had my bible. I intended to finish reading the book of Jeremiah while taking in the view.

The view, I must add is breathtaking. I was the only inside the chapel for quite some time. I sat and looked out over Portland. It was surreal watching the city in motion, planes coming in for a landing, traffic on the I-205.  I took out my bible and read from Jeremiah, feeling so peaceful.

Then two very noisy older women came in laughing and talking. I tried not to glare at them.  They took pictures near the statue of the replica of Michelangelo's Pieta statue near the window. Then they sat down and took out a bag of chips and noisily started crunching. I thought my head was going to explode!

But I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.  Being judgmental is not where I want to go. They were probably tourists.  Who knows what their story was. But they were happy. Noisy, happy, crunching laughing women.

Next thing I knew it was half an hour later. I was alone again.  Snoring, with my mouth wide open.  Thank goodness no one was there to be annoyed with me!

I got up and wandered the grounds. I ended up at the labyrinth.

I pulled out my rosary and breathed. I said a prayer and slowly started to walk toward the center. I lost all track of time. I will not tell you what I was praying or what I feel God revealed to me. It is quite personal. But when I left the Grotto, I felt like a big weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Also it was 8:00 p.m. I had spent over 3 hours there without realizing it!

I thin I need to go back again soon.  So much unchartered territory within my own soul that needs to be discovered.

Happy Friday! 

p.s. Going out for pho tonight with my son.  I think that sounds quite healing!