Dear Anna,
I ran across this article online and it was right on track for me today with my sore muscles after my 15 mile run yesterday...
“Muscle builds by breaking. The fibers of muscles, when put to extreme use (like through weight lifting, running, or other exercise) tear and break. During periods of rest, the body repairs and prepares. The muscle fibers rebuild themselves, healing and adding more and stronger fibers in place of the old and torn fibers, so that those muscles are bigger and stronger and ready for the next time.
Lately, many friends, co-workers, and family members have come forward and said, "You're so strong!" Some say it with awe. Some say it more like a reminder. All want to help keep me moving, keep my spirits up, to inspire me to remember who I am- to cue me back to my authentic self during a time where I seem to keep forgetting.
Here's the thing... And I hesitate to tell them this because I know their words come from the heart and with the purest of intentions.
I don't want to be strong.
Being strong sucks. I would rather remain in my original state: thin, unbroken strands of fiber lying sweetly and neatly and doing no heavy lifting. I don't want to feel the pain of ripping apart in order to jump higher tomorrow. If running faster requires that first I break down, then I will be content to plod slowly along this road. Give me unmutilated softness over tough perseverant scar tissue any day.
The ancient Greeks invented a concept for this. Katabasis. It describes a hero's trip to the underworld and the particular kind of strength from that particular kind of harrowing journey. (Of course the ancient Greeks would have a word for this. I once had a professor tell me, "Most people have bad days. The Greeks had bad generations.") Orpheus, the father of songs, had his katabasis when he travelled to Hell and back to save Eurydice. Odysseus, too, made a quick stop in Hades during his 20 year trek. Even gods and heroes can't seem to build muscle without first suffering ruptures.
Unfortunately, sometimes the path in front of us grows steep. So you either climb or you quit. The easier choice, sometimes the only choice, seems to be curling up in the dirt and resting. Of course, the irony is that as you rest, those rascal muscle fibers do their thing and start growing new tissue. And pretty soon, you wake up and get up and start climbing on those new, bigger muscles. Sure, you get tired later, you'll plop down, and it will start all over again. It stinks. Katabasis. You build your strength from the very act of pushing up from the very spot where you fell.
Stupid Greeks.”
Sore muscles aren't fun even when we know it's a sign that we are getting stronger. Sometimes like the author said above, we just don't want to be strong. So, I am praying for strength and stamina today for those times when you are working to get more flexible in dance or when you are frustrated after things like your PE fitness test today...
May the Lord be your strength and your song this day... (Psalm 118:14)
