Quest for the Qualifiers: Discovering Potential in Mid-Life

This is what a badass woman looks like.  Doesn't matter what the task is.  Doesn't matter what the weather is.  She just pulls the sled.  # badasswoman                                                   - Sam Farr II  Merriam-Webster defines the word badass (and I was surprised that the word "badass" is in the dictionary to tell you the truth) as: " of formidable strength or skill ."  By that definition, can I really claim that I'm a badass, or even be so bold as to say a badass athlete?  Or was Sam simply providing me good motivational coaching by praising my hard work? Having pulled that sled about 850 meters a few hours before I saw the picture, it was easy to go back in my mind and feel my breath, the stretch in my hammies and glutes, the hot and humid air.  I also remembered the t...

My last post was Wednesday, June 30th and that was also the day I got the call that my father-in-law had been admitted to the hospital for what would become his final illness.  He was in the hospital for a week or so and then chose to go into hospice where he passed away on Saturday, July 8th.  My grief has been deep and I continue to wrestle with the circumstances of his passing, but Dad was a person who practiced forgiveness and based his life on the principles of love, compassion and kindness to others.  I know he would tell me that my efforts to comfort, soothe and be present were enough.  At some point I'll get there myself but forgiveness of self comes so hard to me.  It's gonna take a while. One of the greatest privileges of my life was getting to know Dad over the past year as his illness and hospitalizations grew more difficult.  We laughed, we cried, I held his hand, saw him at his worst and did my best to serve him with love and compass...