Square Zero

 A few years ago, my wife and I, with our toddler in tow, were walking through a bustling winter market on the outskirts of Dubai. We came across a lady who had a cage full of baby bunny rabbits. Obviously they were cute. Obviously our daughter was giggly. Obviously we were getting baby bunny rabbits. 

We got a gray one (Bob) and a beige-white dual toned rascal (Officer Hopper). Yeah. That!

Their cage was big enough for both of them to run, but Officer Hopper was the only one who did. Bob was a placid lil guy. But Hopper ...No! Often he'd just jump on Bob and it made Bob shuffle a little in place. That was the main indication that Bob was alive. 

One thing I learnt about Rabbits though, they grow up pretty fast. And considering my baby girl loved to feed them and watch them nom-nom their way through the stuff (sometimes the veggies SHE was supposed to eat) was pure entertainment for her. Needless to say, both Bob and Hops got big...FAST. Eventually Bob added the "couldn't" to his "wouldn't" aspect of movement. Hopper just ambled about. The cage was growing smaller by the day for them. Eventually, one morning, just as I was contemplating getting them a new cage, I saw that Bob was not moving at all. Yeah. I didn't write the script but the Rabbits knew apparently. Anyway, the death of his partner made him sad, so I gave Hopper away to a pet store and that was that. 

This was a lesson for me which hit home yesterday when I returned to the Gym after a couple of years of inactivity. Stepping onto the floor, I realized how abysmal my own ability had become. A few years ago, I could easily do about 25-30 push ups (an ability I had built up from 0). And I could do close to 55 crunches as well (which i'd built up from 5). Yesterday, as I did basic floor exercises, I felt those numbers were impossible again. My 1 minute plank ability was down to a laughable 25 seconds after which I started to generate readings on a richter scale. Finally, I got to the treadmill. I don't know which genius decided to put treadmills next to huge mirrors, but whoever did, made me look at myself as I walked on that mobius strip of agony. As I did, I realized that my body had broken the traditional apple shape and pear shaped norms and discovered the now trademarked Disgruntled Avocado shape.

All said, I am effectively back to square one. But if I'm honest with myself, I'm actually a few steps behind the square one which I started back in 2008. 

But the story of my Pet rabbits came back to me. Why? 
I have no idea. But I realized that I'm cannot get by letting the cage of laziness and inactivity that led me to this place I am continue to hound me further. I realized I need to change it up. I'm going to shut up all the voices which say I can't do it..beginning with my own.