Circle of Trust

This workout celebrated my daughter’s 4th birthday and the strength it took to bring her into the world.

My M and I met relatively late in life. So, when we decided we wanted to have a child together, we were fighting an uphill battle. We didn’t realize how difficult it would be until a fertility doctor told us our odds were only about 5%.

We chose to move forward regardless and were blessed with a miracle after several rounds of IVF. Unfortunately, we lost that pregnancy. It crushed us both, and we had to decide again whether or not to move forward.

It was then that I talked to my mom, who told me that she and my dad also lost a baby. She told her doctor that she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to move forward. He told her she could either stay where she was with the pain of her loss or she could find the strength she needed to try again.

Six months later, she saw her doctor again and was pregnant–with me.

When I told her that I wasn’t sure my M and I were strong enough to handle any more, she said, “You’ll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have left.”

So, we took those words, leaned on each other and were blessed with yet another miracle–our daughter, Olivia.

Now, every time we celebrate her, we’re also celebrating the strength we found when we needed it most. And we’re grateful that my parents found that strength. And we encourage anyone else in that situation–or any challenging moment–to find the strength within you to move forward, even when everything you wanted was lost to the past.

Whether you’re running up Mt. Wood, struggling under the weight of your coupon, or dealing with much heavier stuff outside of F3, know that you are stronger than you feel in those moments. Lean on those around you and borrow their strength, as well. And, last of all, talk about the hard things you’ve been through. Chances are, someone else has been there, too.