Chezon vs. the Low-Tech Highs

On Mother’s Day, my father asked me if I would be free to hang out with him next week. Reminiscent of our Daddy Daughter Days we would have when I was younger, he asked if I could make some time to hang out with him. “Sure” I replied eagerly.

When we connected today, my dad inquired about my exercise regimen and I explained about the different types of cardio workouts I did outside of my gym time. He suggested we head over to Ikea and “walk around”. Seriously, that’s the thing I love about my dad. He’s so “low-tech”. All we needed was to keep it simple: let’s talk and walk.

We covered the Ikea showroom floor at a brisk pace. My dad’s always walked quickly, so I had to keep up. He’d ask random questions -- everything from schoolwork inquiries to dieting to comments about Ikea’s inventory -- which kept the conversation flowing. When we got to the stairs, I slowed down and asked if he’d prefer to take the elevator. He looked at me and said “You can handle this. I know I can!” And off he went jogging up the stairs. By the time we hit it a second time, no need for questions, I was already two steps behind.

Hanging out with my dad was the best kind of exercise I’ve done since I’ve started this journey. We walked through Ikea numerous times and when we were done, walked around the neighboring shops. Walking around with him, the time flew by, and before I realized it, more than 2 hours had passed.

Back home, my dad and I collapsed on the couch. Laughing and being silly all day with my dad had put a wide smile on my face. He turned to me and said he’d be headed back to his house soon. He got up to leave and turned to give me a hug. “You’re a good kid! You gotta keep this up! Okay?” Hearing him say that brought tears to my eyes. “I will dad, thanks! Thanks for everything! I love ya!”

I gotta be honest. My father’s comments today were worth more than any pounds I could ever lose!