Just Breath

The instructor of the Body Pump class often tells us not to hold our breath, but to breath and to breath deeply.
It's difficult to do when your muscles are being pushed and it takes every ounce of strength to lift the bar just one more time.
But then, you do the best that you can and hope that you are gaining a little more muscle than the last time....hoping that your lungs are opening up a little more to receive extra oxygen and that when the pain, sweat, agony, exhaustion are over you are a little healthier than before; that all the effort will be worth it.
Today, I decided to focus on proper breathing and proper form---even if the weight was lighter or even if I couldn't bend down as far as the rest of the participants. I noticed that I had more stamina, so apparently it's important to work on those two things.
Driving home a song came on the radio with the phrase 'just breath' and I began to think of breathing deeply as it applies to life.
Learning to breath deeply is a little like learning to live. When I say live I don't mean exist, I mean take in every moment, every smell, every feeling, every sight, and every word uttered. In other words live as deeply as possible. Each second only happens once, there are no do-overs.
So, my conclusion? Breath in each moment as deeply as possible, even if the moment is uncomfortable, painful, strenuous, bitter or joyful. Whatever the feeling or emotion we only get it once and then it's over, forever. Make the most of it.......cease to avoid any of life's moments as they make us stronger, give us stamina for the future and make us who we are and who we need to be if we allow them.