Ready To Lose Everything

GYMNOS – Fitness Scenarios for Self-Examination

Gymnos is the Greek origin of our modern-day word Gym. It means “naked.” GYMNOS articles in Faith & Fitness Magazine are designed to help you challenge your thinking. In the literal sense, when you are naked in the locker room there is nothing to hide. That makes most people uncomfortable. Use this scenario to get naked spiritually—be honest, transparent, undisguised and willing to be totally open with yourself and others. All characters in this scenario are fictional. Any similarity to an actual person is coincidental.

By Alisa Hope Wagner, award-winning author

Mark slowed his car as he drove past his old gym. A “For Sale” signed was posted in the patch of overgrown edging that framed the double doors. Those doors led into his old life. Chains wrapped tightly around the door handles, declaring that he would never return, mocked his loss. His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, and he looked resolutely away. He pushed on the gas a little too hard, and his truck jerked forward.

He quickly slowed, eyeing for any police cars nearby who might have seen him. Wouldn’t that be his luck to get a ticket? The faces of all his old gym mates swept quickly through his mind as he glanced back at his old gym in the rearview mirror one last time. His friends were scattered for good. Some had built their own home gyms, while others found a new gym home. Didn’t matter now, he thought. Things would never be the same. He had lost that part of his life…and it was a huge loss that left an emptiness he couldn’t shake.

He assumed losing his gym membership wouldn’t be such a big deal if the rest of his life wasn’t going down the tubes. His girlfriend was depressed, and he didn’t know how to help her up. She barely left her house anymore. She’d go to work, home, grocery store and that was about it. He couldn’t live like that, and she pulled away from him even more. She feared getting sick, and she watched the news non-stop. The news had replaced their dates to the movies, concerts, restaurants and everything else. He had to stop watching weeks ago because there was absolutely nothing he could do to change things.

Then his work was the pits. He had to work remotely from his apartment, making phone calls and doing Zoom meetings. He hated it all. He was social by nature and enjoyed chatting with people—cracking jokes and watching them smile. He was good at talking and making people laugh. Now he couldn’t tell if they were smiling or frowning. The masks may help at keeping him and others safe, but they were terrible at helping him connect with people. Maybe that’s what was wrong with him. He couldn’t connect anymore. In fact, he had never felt so alone in his life.

Mark tried to focus on where he was going. It was Sunday, and he had nothing in particular to do. He looked to his right and saw people walking into a building. They were shaking hands. Some were even hugging. A few people were wearing masks while others weren’t. What was going on? He noticed the cross on the building. It was a church. Mark didn’t know why, but he turned into the driveway of the church and parked. He watched the families getting out. They seemed happy. A young girl was skipping. A wife was holding her husband’s hands. An elderly gentleman was holding the door open and greeting people.

“You don’t go to church,” Mark said out loud. “Not since you were young.”

But there was something about the people. They looked happy. They looked at peace. They looked like he used to look when he would walk into his gym…content. That didn’t sound so bad right now. He was determined to be happy again.

QUESTIONS FOR GROUP DISCUSSION AND PERSONAL REFLECTION:

1. During the pandemic, what have you lost? What areas of your life have been affected by COVID-19 restrictions and the lock down?
2. Do you believe that your life has meaning and that your presence during this time has a purpose? What can you do today to not only help yourself to feel better, but to make someone else’s life a little brighter?

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