Awakening Your Inner Hero: Sh*t Happens

This message has a few moderately graphic parts. Still, I think you should continue reading.

A few days ago, after my always soul-touching men’s group wound down, I decided to go to the gym before meeting with my next client.

I shall be forever appreciative for that decision.

Wendy and I usually work out after we drive the grandkids to school, which is always one of the highlights of our day (life). The four of us sing enthusiastically all the way from our driveway to the front door of Silver Rail Elementary School, a 10-minute slice of heaven. Always is not an exaggeration, either. We are blessed to the bone to rip it up every school-day morning!

On this day, around noon, I headed to the gym for my workout, which is hardly ever a rigid routine. Once I arrive, life takes over from the moment I get out of the car. I wouldn’t say I get distracted; that’s not the correct word. It’s true, but distracted hardly describes the joy, and even the lasting memories, that nearly every workout generates.

I usually start with lifting a few weights to strengthen my aging muscles. Then I hit the aerobic bikes, the treadmill next and then my favorite: the cross-country ski machine. This day I spotted my retired doctor buddy on a stationary bike. I walked off the treadmill, and we must have talked about life for at least 20 delightful minutes.

Then I saw my new buddy, Jon, in his wheelchair coming around the track. His sweet companion dog was by his side, a little restless.

“Can I walk a few laps with you?” I asked.

He always says, “Yes,” which always makes me happy.

We’ve only done this a few times, but we both enjoy our time together, and this one took us to another level.

I never can remember how my conversations get going, but he reminded me of his hard bout with COVID and how it led him to being a paraplegic. I haven’t gotten a ton of details yet, but he told me it was primarily his 6-year-old daughter who encouraged and pushed him to keep going. She is 11 now.

Then it happened.

People started looking at us, and we immediately realized we had to stop. His canine buddy had an “accident” on the track, and as you might guess, it was not pretty.

I looked back and yelled, “I’ll take care of it.”

Then a woman standing right at the scene responded, “It’s OK, I’ve got it.” She did, like a pro. It was cleaned up and sanitized in a minute.

“I’m sorry,” Jon sweetly told her.

“It’s fine, I work with dogs professionally and I’ve done this too many times to count.” And then she offered a few suggestions to help prevent this from happening again. As we walked on, Jon told me this very same thing happened a short while back and the same woman was there to help clean up.

Truly an angel! Two times and not one ounce of anything but love and caring was ever expressed.

Jon and I kept strolling. That is what we need to do when we do life properly. Shit happens, and we keep on strolling even when we don’t know how or why.

As we rounded the next curve, he told me he recently got a job substitute teaching at his daughter’s elementary school. “The kids like me,” he said. “Some time in the future, when the cards line up, I’ll get to teach my daughter’s class.”

I got to thinking… who would be the one teaching? I knew the answer to that one. It’s simple: They’ll be teaching each other, forever, about love — giving it, soaking it in and about keeping on keeping on, regardless.

I am so glad I decided to get a “workout” after my men’s group that day. When it was time for me to leave for my appointment, we hugged and said, “Goodbye.”

So, who helped who?

We know the answer to this one, too.

Routines are essential.

But keep your eyes and hearts open.

We all need each other.

—Burt Gershater is a counselor, leadership trainer, speaker and writer. He can be reached at info@burtgershater.com

This article appears in The Source Weekly January 2, 2025.