"And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12
About two years ago I embarked on a fitness journey. What started out as a thriving desire for a 6-pack and nicely tone thighs, turned into goals of strength and cardiovascular endurance. I began focusing less on the appearance/perception of my body and more on its actual health. Body fat percentage and BMI calculations became both my best friend and my arch nemesis. It took me about two years and two trainers, before I decided to venture off on my own. While a bittersweet departure from the realm of being yelled at and told what to do, I welcomed the idea of me reaching new goals, by myself. I also welcomed the idea of saving money, because my bills weren't getting any cheaper - and neither were their rates.
So I began to tackle my new goals at Planet Fitness with me and Pandora; and I quickly realized: I can't do this alone!
A few months in - and some missed gym dates, bad eating and a few holidays later - I hadn't accomplished anything! Except maybe, weight gain. I tried everything, but after a while I found myself seeking out accountability partners, gym partners and even non-licensed nutritionists (a.k.a the friends of mine who proved that meal planning does equal weight loss). I tried to find any and everyone to help me on this journey, that 5 months prior, I decided to take alone.
But I couldn't do it alone. I still can't. And that's not just true for my fitness goals, but for my entire life. As much as I loved shouting "I don't need anybody!" back in my teen years after arguing with my mother and my boyfriend, that's just not true. While my self-sufficiency has proven to be an asset, there have been plenty of times that I've truly needed someone. The times where venting to myself just wasn't helping. The times where clearing my head had to be done in the company of great friends and movie dates. I've needed people to speak life into me when I had no life left. I've needed people to make phone calls or send an e-mail on my behalf. I've even needed people to put me down so I could remember the importance of standing up. Everyencounter I've had with every person I've had one with, I needed; and it would be unfair of me to think otherwise.
My trainer started me on my fitness journey by teaching me the basics and allowing me to experience the fruits of my labor. He allowed me to bask in those fruits and taught me that it's more than just looks, it's strength. It's about building endurance and becoming a true force - outside of just looking like one. Our many sessions have stuck with me, as I decided to break from that and attempt to do it on my own, but those times were trying. I sought him for constant inspiration, questions and the push I so desperately needed; the push that had me so vested in training with him in the first place. After many failed attempts at continuing my fitness journey alone - and with his amazing discounted Spring rates - I found myself back in his corridors. Back with him doing the crazy core workouts that I longed for.
This is life. We need each other. We were put here to help, inspire and love each other. We were put here to carry each other through rough times. Don't confuse your self-sufficiency with you not needing anyone. As much as our ego loves to believe that, it's not true. We need friends, family, neighbors and 'unfavorables'. [Euphemism say what!] Every interaction we have teaches us something about ourselves and other people. We need these interactions to grow and thrive. We need these relationships to hold us up when we can't do so ourselves. As many times as we try to break away in isolation, we always find ourselves back with others; back being encouraged, engaged and excited by those that fuel our lives.
I know what you're thinking: "the only person I need is God!" Yes, depending on God for all your needs is a necessity. Acknowledging God as a provider, comforter and healer is the ultimate truth. But even in the body of Christ, we need each other. We need to pray for each other, we need to teach each other and we need to hold each other accountable for our words, thoughts and deeds. In fact, there's someone out there right now, who needs you to introduce them to salvation. So while God reigns supreme and controls the lives of all of us, we still need each other to keep our minds on Him. We need each other to get through this worldly realm so we can one day bask in the glory of His power.
We may not need anyone to wash our clothes or pay our bills (although that'd be nice), but we do need them to fight alongside us; and to sometimes fight for us. We need people to put us in uncomfortable situations, so we can learn how to get ourselves out of them. We need people to put us in tough circumstances, so we can learn how to navigate through them. We need others to pray and defend on our behalves. We need each other to survive - physically and spiritually. And while our independence is admirable, it's more admirable to allow people to love you and push you through every course of life. You need that.
