Worthy Goals

We of course have the general and really important goal of being healthy. This is enough to make the plans to lose weight, and exercise, and eat healthily... but I also think it's important to have a very strong, personal goal.
It needs to be important to me personally, something that I will gain that fulfills a dream, or returns something to me that was lost.
I've spent some time thinking on this. It wasn't easy. Life is easier on a daily basis if I DON'T think about the things I used to do, but no longer can, so it was a difficult journey to revisit life as I knew it before the arthritis and attendant abdominal problems from the surgeries and so on became part of life. To think about what I missed most, that I might be able to regain.

Thanks to Ysabeau, who has given me some coping techniques to help with the jostling problems, and to the most recent episode of Extreme Homes I think I may have found a dream to shoot for. They featured Freedom Hills Therapeutic Riding Program.

Back in my 20s, I was very active. I went whitewater rafting, rock climbing and wilderness camping when in college. I hiked almost every weekend in Japan and when I moved from there to California I worked on a ranch caring for and helping train horses. My Grampa trained horses for the Amish when I was a kid, and I've loved horses all my life.

The hiking and rock climbing and white water rafting may be beyond what I can do in the future. BUT If I lose weight, and use support to help the jostling.. I think I can ride horses again! The thought is almost overwhelming. What freedom! And to be around horses again would be well, indescribably joyful. And Oscar knows someone who runs a thereputic riding program.

All I need to do is lose the weight.