Pride Comes Before a Fall

I'm a naturally competitive person. Not over the top, step-on-others competitive. Just put-my-best-foot-forward competitive. So, that's what brings me to my severe pain and having to keep my foot elevated and iced.

It all started as good, clean fun. I had waited all day and was so excited. I had made sure that all my chores were done, dinner was made, the kids were fed and ready for baths. When Scott walked in the door, it was like a relay race. I passed the baton and left him to take over parenting duties. I darted out the door and hurried to my newest fitness passion...ZUMBA. ''What is zumba?'' you may ask. Zumba is defined on the gym schedule as ''a latin inspired dance class infused with samba, merenge, salsa, cumbia, and more.'' It's so much fun and moves very fast. With all the excitement of the music and anticipation of a thinner me, I jumped right in. Not only was I bouncing and hopping around, I had the gall to try EVERYTHING the instructor was doing with the same speed.

After a while, I could almost hear my legs telling me to slow down. But, I am force to be reckoned with and can not be stopped--even by my own common sense. My legs actually started yelling at me, begging me to take it a little easy. By now, I'm only thinking with my pride (oxy-moron) and refused to be put down. So, just then, I kept moving and my foot did not. I'm not sure if it was the embarrassment or shear pain that had me pass out on the way down. All I remember was blacking out as I was falling hard and fast, first landing on my hiney, then rolling on my back, coming to finally rest on some yoga mats in the back of the classroom. I was sad. I was mad. I was hurt. All that preparation that goes into getting to the gym. The planning of the evening, the meals, the kids, the hubby's schedule. For what? For me to spend the last 20 minutes of class lying on the floor in the back of the room with a bag of ice on my ankle. Next time, I hope to not let my pride get the better of me. I hope to slow down when necessary and not try to keep up with the instructor. Afterall, some workout is better than no workout, right? That's what I keep telling myself as I am trying to keep my foot elevated and iced. "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18