Jason has lost thirty pounds..........(clapping my hands).  He has worked so hard.  Not only has he worked out at the gym faithfully, sometimes his workouts start at 5:00 AM.  (I have several crazy friends who are working out this early too).  He's also been committed to eating salads and drinking some awful protein/egg white shakes. Funny thing is, I was the one who mentioned wanting to eat healthy, months back. I've barely lost a pound, but at least I was his inspiration.

He's an oak.  And I love him.

He attributes much of his success to the Paleo Diet which is the "Caveman Diet".  I decided to try it for a week.  I made it Monday and half of Tuesday (by Tuesday I was already so "over  it"). I celebrated the cease to my carb-less thirty hours with a giant cookie. I call the Paleo Diet the "Killjoy Diet".

You might say I'm not good at following through with things.  One could say I lack self-discipline.

I sit here in my happy place with my sweats on, full of pizza and Coke.  I stepped on the scales and they laughed at me in number language.  Still, for now, I'm perfectly content.

Sometimes (much of the time) I'm a quitter.  I'm a darn good quitter.  And that's ok,

Because there are some things worth letting go

like washing the dishes when your son wants to tell you about the trip he plans to take to Thailand someday

and health fads that make you crabby and no healthier

like the job that requires more of you than your family can afford.

Let go of past hurts; only hang on to the good you've learned from them.

Quit trying to make every single meeting on your radar, even if you know there will be people wondering where you were if you miss.

Drop that argument you're determined to win with your twelve-year-old when all reason has been tossed out the window

and quit beating yourself up when you forget your eight year old's note in her lunch, and her drink (.....three times).

You can stop comparing your cooking and seasonal table settings to the cover of "Southern Living" and your wreaths to the ones on Pinterest

Let go of your unattainable dream to have your neighbor's perfectly sculpted yard.

Quit your tired effort to make your husband into the perfect mate and just keep loving him as he is

Stop thinking that your childrens' happiness lies squarely and solely on your shoulders

Quit packing your calendar so tight that the numbered squares on its pages bulge until they're almost circles.

Quit worrying about things

like the weather or your son's Physics grade (You can't control it)

the peeling paint on your house exterior and smudges on the windows and glass door (These things will wait)

It doesn't help to worry

when your children are upset with you (they'll hopefully get over it)

and about that person who without fair reason doesn't like you and never has  (Not everyone will)

Quit dwelling on life's injustices (that you can't or don't choose to do anything about)

Stop missing out on life's little joys.

-You'd better recognize them if you'd quit some of the other "stuff".

Life's not always about conquering, winning, enduring mastering.

Sometimes it's about letting go.

Jason is an oak.

Sometimes I'm an oak too.

Other times I'll be a bold leaf,

weightless

who in season releases it's grip and let's go.

Be a quitter.

P.S. To Jason and my friends who are sticking to your ridiculous, I mean rigorous 5 AM workouts, I look up to you and still think you're super cool.