Catastrophic events have a way of putting things into perspective quite nicely, don’t they? Sigh. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s destructive force, for those affected by it, even from a distance, getting ripped or lean all of a sudden seems like an almost ridiculous goal. Preserving one’s safety becomes, of course, paramount for those directly affected, but also, even for observers like myself, what really matters in life quickly comes to the surface. So, what really matters? It’s actually not a difficult question. Our health, our relationship with others, and our relationship with our selves–that’s what matters most. How simple, and yet we spend so much of our lives trying to fit into a certain mold of beauty and pursuing things and objects that could be gone in an instant. I’m personally guilty of the first, not so much of the second. More and more, I’ve been nurturing the relationships in my life and cultivating new ones. Money and objects have their place, but they alone do not bring joy or lasting fulfillment. Yay for me for having learned that one. If only we could exist on a daily basis with the conscience of what truly matters, without having catastrophes to remind us, we’d probably all feel a lot more fulfilled. How do we do that? I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m hung up on maintaining a certain appearance. I exist in this world of fitness, after all. But still, I can be in the fitness world and whole, not lopsided. I think the answer to being truly happy is letting go *at least some* of these shallow cultural hangups and striving for wholeness. To be sure, it is easier said than done, but again, more and more, I feel that I am on my way to a more balanced and happier me. For me, being whole, means nurturing my mind and spirit. One of things that I am most grateful for is having the time to read about all sorts of topic. When I was a professor, I remember wishing I had more time to read. Now I spend several hours a day reading on all sorts of topics that interest me, from the body’s own healing powers to online marketing. Spirituality means a lot of different things to different people. For me, it means tuning into my higher self, quieting down, understanding that I am the source of my happiness and unhappiness, and that we are all truly connected somehow. Wow, that was a mouthful. Yea. I guess at the end of the day, or at the end of my life, really, I just want to know that I’ve done my best to be kind to others, including myself. We are all on a journey and I know that for me, I want this journey to be much more than just one in which I pursue getting fit.