Ut Meaus Permaneo Spiritus

Translated the page title says "To My Last Breath" in Latin.
No I do not know the language but much of today's modern language is founded in Latin, a beginning of sort.
While writing my book I came up with this phrase as a family motto for one of my characters and in the process it has become a proverb of mine.

The phrase is two fold in its importance to me. First it's a reminder to stick to the basics, not get too complicated in life and when they do to go back to the beginning. Secondly the words are a reminder that nothing is finished, no fight is lost, nothing is out of reach until the last breath is breathed.

I have made many decision and choices in my life that were regrettable to the point they ached to my very soul, broke my heart and nearly my spirit. Yet through each one I found the strength to endure and persevere and here I am heart and spirit still in tact.

I found forgiveness of others and mostly myself was a key to finding my strength.

In July 2008 I lost my beloved mother at the age of 60 to Lou Gehrig's Disease. Looking back over her extraordinary life she conquered fears and feats most would find insurmountable. Through it all the one thing she never did very well was take care of herself. It would seem an aversion to exercise runs on the maternal side of my family.

Big hips, flabby abs and these strange bags of fat that hang at the knees seem to have been passed along the genetic line along with eyes and hair and an innate sixth sense.

As the old song goes, "I'm too young for feeling this darn old."

I truly lost my "SPARK" for life. I've let my dreams go and found myself wasting every day in front of a computer; stuck in a perpetual Groundhog Day. Each one was the same as the last.

Well it's time to get that Zeal back, light the SPARK a new regardless if it's a New Year or not.

I've never been one to want much for myself but after 30 years of wanting to "like" my smile I finally treated myself to braces for my birthday in July 2007. They came off in September 2009. It felt amazing to do something so important TO me, FOR me, myself!

For the first time in my life I was able to look in the mirror and really smile and feel happy. It wasn't until recently I realized, if I can do that for my smile why can't I do that for the rest of my body?

The answer was obvious;

Because I didn't want it as much.

It's been easy to hide my figure with my height (I'm 5' 8") and with clothes. I'm not over weight (right at 149) but sadly out of shape. Walking up stairs takes my breath away. My skin lacks luster, my eyes have dark circles, I'm tired all the time and I constantly ache due to lack of strength.
Food rarely sounds good and when I do eat it's usually something completely lacking nutrition; mostly high in processed sugar and fat.

Now it's a time to get the rest of me "straight, healthy & in shape".

This time my husband is "somewhat" on board and we're eating healthy together. He's got me on a great workout routine and my little man Brandon has been adopted as my trainer.

It's time for a $6 million me - - better, stronger, faster.

I know in order to succeed I need to work on my spirit as well as my body. I also know I will fail but I will try again. I will fall down but I will get back up and start over. I will fight, I will persevere and I will keep going until...

"Ut meaus permaneo spiritus"

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Live Strong, Live Long, Live Happy