PHYSICAL FITNESS | PARENTING
Training His Body & Mind: My Son Wraps His Big Arms Around His Goals and My Heart
The 10 Word Story Challenge and pics to back it

A story in ten words? Me?
Laughable, but, doable.
“The gentle giant faced his opponent, jaw clenched, and attacked.”
My son immediately popped into my mind when challenged to write a ten-word story. It’s not that he could be limited to ten words either, per se, because Bill is quite gregarious once you know him. He weighs his words with purpose, though, either with intelligence, deep reflection, or humor. He is the master of brevity and combines words for efficiency.
“Condensolate” will forever haunt me. We laughed about it so much that it became difficult for me to remember either to use consolidate or condense while speaking in a meeting at work. With grownups.
My son’s physical presentation intimidates most people who aren’t females with googly eyes.
He presents the vision of a quiet and gentle giant.
When I frequented the area where I used to live, my identity became, “Bill’s mom?!” and it was always delivered with awe and excitement. “Have you met Bill’s mom?” The girls’ giggling trickled down the line to more friends. He possesses a big personality and strong, good looks, that lean toward small-town celebrity status.
Bill made life-changing decisions in the past year and won’t, refuses, to drop the ball. His path inspired my ten-word story:
The gentle giant faced his opponent, jaw clenched, and attacked.

We all have our demons, our troubled pasts peppered by the circumstances surrounding us. Fun memories, at times, are overshadowed by painful ones.
We are one in our humanness.
No soul is unchallenged; some are burdened by a lion’s share of turmoil.
Bill is the youngest of my three kids. You would never mistake him for the baby, though, for his physical being rivals his generous spirit.
My son holds a mixed bag of life. He was, and is, loved by many for good reasons. Bill’s heart and compassion join with a sharp mind and a quick wit that drops even the most stoic. These traits never dulled through his early years of challenges, pitfalls, and uphill battles beyond his control.
Are we our past? No.
Is it easy to overcome being raised in both joy and upheaval? No.
Is it impossible?
According to my son, nothing is impossible.
He is driven by his desire to be his best self. Looking forward, he plans every step and takes missteps on the chin. Bill posted a heartfelt message on social media that pledged he would no longer be the ‘fat kid.’
You could hear my heart break.
He set his physical fitness goals and hasn’t looked back.
Bill is soon to be 23, and I wonder where this man came from. My heart bursts with pride as he focuses on his dreams. Determination and confidence shine from my son’s eyes as he aspires to carve out his future, his way.
I reflect on my motherly shortcomings. My oldest and youngest took back seats to their sister’s medical needs. Bill often conceded to her demands to avoid turmoil when his sister strong-armed situations. He is a peacemaker and peacekeeper. I imagine he always will be that gentle giant of sorts.
Compassion courses through him.

He also thrives in the face of adversity.
He is my son.
And, I cried a mother’s tears of love the moment it hit me; he is happy.
He is happy.
What do focus and drive look like to Bill?

You don’t need to take my word for it. Just see him with your own eyes and witness the light of joy he cannot contain.

Happy.
Healthy in body and mind.
Bill is driven to achieve personal greatness. To me, he is already there. I love him, his insight, and his continued contributions to the world. I marvel at his sense of self as he navigates his space. He is an inspiration. My inspiration.
Happy.
Every mother’s dream for their kids.
It pours out of him, this passion for physical training and mental wellness. I know he will tackle anything thrown his way, literally and figuratively, for he always does.
He always does.

The gentle giant faced his opponent, jaw clenched, and attacked.
The end ~ or just the beginning?
Thank you for including me in the challenge, Robin Christine Honigsberg. Robin wrote her version, which you can read here, as a reaction to the original prompt by Sheri Jacobs.
Everyone is welcome to join in with The Celtic Chameleon, PJ Jackelman, and Lisa M. Gott! Read Sheri’s challenge below:
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Another person who was a great inspiration to many and was much more than my teacher.
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