Owned

"They own you, now." Our lovely oldest daughter stated with simple wise solemnity.

And it was true.

I had just given my personal information, showed my driver's license, handed over my debit/credit card, and signed a 12 month contract at a local fitness club. As I drove home my eyes glanced over at the envelope containing my pink copy of the agreement and receipts and I felt a wave of horror and instantly gasped at the thought: What have I done?! My audible response to the settling in of reality is what prompted our teen's statement.

And I couldn't argue. I had to agree. And I had given it willingly.

As the day wore on and the considerate query of the manager, "Will you be working out today?" replayed itself in my head I began to have a different feeling about being owned. Maybe it wasn't a strict obligation to avail myself of the equipment or to comply with making an appearance. Maybe it wasn't an adherence to a difficult workout regimen or depriving myself of my favorite culinary pleasures. Maybe it was actually an aligning of my goals and aspirations with others who value their health and just honestly want to discipline their minds and bodies to be the best they can be.

I suppose if I really think about it, I rather like being owned. Because it also implies acceptance and belonging. It's not entirely scary to think about walking into a fitness facility, scanning my key card at the front desk, and walking over to the cardio machines and starting my workout. Seeing the great diversity of like-minded individuals at the gym it's quickly becoming an environment I can appreciate and enjoy. I already have two good friends who go there and I know I will meet new people every day I make it in. There is encouragement, support, and accountability with being a member of a gym and those are all good things.

There are some obvious spiritual parallels here as well: acceptance, belonging, support, accountability. Knowing that my friends who go the gym are also women I see at least every Sunday helps me to apply all that I have learned and all that I do to every other area of my life. That means that this isn't just a one-year contract that I'll be released from when the expiry date comes. This is a lifestyle change and a lifelong journey that I don't have to walk alone! See? Owned. Alone. I'll gladly choose to be owned!

Glory