“faith”

August 22, 2006

August 14, 2006

My favorite television show for many years has been Oprah.

Many of my friends know my admiration for her and desire to be on her ‘favorite things’ show one day! But in all seriousness, she always
hosts life-moving shows that cause you to re-think your life and the way you approach all good and bad obstacles.

On Friday, she told a story of a dog named ‘Faith’, who lost function in both her front legs and was told she had little chances to live. Her owners began training Faith 2 hours a day for 12 weeks by tempting her with peanut butter and other foods so that she can walk upright on two feet. Eventually, she began walking like a human.

Like many viewers, this story touched me…not just because it was amazing to watch, but most importantly, it was amazing to see a small animal conquer formidable odds to survive. It took love, patience, and most of all, “faith”.

One of the most valuable things I have learned when I took risks and challenged my weaknesses: is that by ‘experiencing’ pain, we grow – we learn, and most of all: we adapt. We are so adaptable: we can change our mental outlook, our physical bodies, our internal ‘self’ by placing ourselves under stressful conditions. With faith, knowledge, persistence and focus we can achieve anything.

I write many fitness articles unifying the universal principles found in physical training – if you want to see a bicep grow, you have to endure some pain during the process..your muscles will recover at rest, and eventually your body will respond to this new ‘force’ and your body will change.

Faith’s body changed. She developed muscles to assist her in walking upright. If a little dog can change her muscle composition and exist happily with the ‘will to live’, then imagine the power that is possessed within you…