I settled a score today, y'all

Echoes83
on 1/15/08 7:12 am - MS

In 2000 when Gov Ronnie Musgrove took office, they had an inaugural parade in Jackson. My high school band got invited to play, which was a good honor for us since only x amount of high school bands get invited. But, weighing 290 pounds and being a smoker, I couldn't even make it through the practices. I ended up having to bow out. Our little Christmas parades were hard enough, but marching all over Jackson? Out of the question. It was an embarrassing situation all around, from telling my band director I couldn't do it, to the parade itself, which I was still required to attend even though I didn't get to participate. I have really beat myself up about that since then, even though I shouldn't. Well, now I'm in a local community college and we had to march in Gov Barbour's parade today. I'm only down 50 lbs under my high school weight, but I'm no longer a smoker. I'm in SO much better shape. We gathered down in the coliseum parking lot and I gazed up the hill at the parade route, wondering how on Earth I'd ever be able to do this. Instead of getting psyched out, I took a few deep breaths and took off. I thought the steep hill would surely get me. Nope. Every time I thought I was tired and wouldn't be able to make it, that's all it was-- a thought. Not only did I make it through the parade, but I don't feel like I'm about to die right now. Used to after a piddly little Christmas parade that maybe went for 3 or so blocks, I would go home and pass out, legs killing me and just overall feeling terrible. Not now! Thank God for this surgery and this second chance at life. I finally feel like I'm living and it's awesome.