Note: I read all comments and respond to most. --- New posts every 10 to 15 days...except when life decides to get in my way by dropping a log into my pond.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

"J" is for Jumping Jacks

Have you ever tried to do a thousand jumping jacks? 

You get to 100...200...300...and you just keep going until your legs turn to rubber. Then you finally look down to see if those rubberized appendages are okay, and they aren't even moving...but you thought they were.

You're thinking you should quit. You're thinking it's all good because at least you tried. That's when you hear the voice of your favorite Star Wars' character:
 
"No," scolded Yoda. "Do, or do not. There is no try." 

So you ignore the sensation and continue to "jump" with your arms flaggling in the air as if you no longer own them. You have no idea what number you're on, but someone else is counting for you, so it doesn't matter. 

Then it happens. Suddenly you realize neither your arms or legs are actually moving -- not even twitching -- but somehow your mind is convinced you're still doing jumping jacks. Reality creeps in and you are terribly aware of how silly you must look. 

You glance around only to discover that many of the other jumpers aren't moving either, or have melted to the floor. The leader is still up front, jacking with near p-e-r-f-e-c-t form, while counting aloud. How does he do it?!! you ask yourself. 

Finally, the counting stops. It's over. And...you're still standing! You try to walk away, but can't. So you sit down right in the middle of the floor where you were once-upon-a-time jumping a jack...now...recovering. 

Carefully stretching each muscle as your breath and pulse return to that familiar quiet and steady rhythm, you start to feel as if someone just figured out how to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. Ever so slowly, you rise, and methodically walk away.

You know you are no longer the same person. You've changed. But you can't explain exactly how. You smile with satisfaction as a solitary yet powerful thought comes to mind:
     I was still standing :~)

3 comments:

Christa said...

Changing a jumping jack into a verb is a tricky one... jacking and jumping a jack... hahahahaha! I guess I'd say I'm jumping-jack and I'm jack-jumping (as hyphened verbs), but that's just me.

Did you really do a 1000 of them? I like the quote by Yoda. And I like the mental picture of jumpers melting to the floor... nicely done, Mom.

Unknown said...

Christa ~
Glad you like my use of language and imagery, my dear.

Yes, 1000...at least my mind was convinced I did!...plus Kelly and I weren't melters or retreaters...'cause there is no try :~)

Christa said...

I would like the idea of not so much convincing myself that I'm still doing the jumping jacks, but more so that I'm actually still doing the jumping jacks and not realizing that I'm still jumping... perhaps because my mind is thinking of other things while I'm jumping to help pass the time... and then before I know it, I've reached 1000 jumps.