First Gift
Nancy and I received this in an email last Friday, and it truly is a gift. On this Christmas Day, we want to share this gift with you. Thank-you Cara.
Growing up, I was not familiar with the story of "The Polar Express". Some stories make it in to our childhood experiences, and some don't . I had all the other classics. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" , "Santa Mouse", and "T'was the Night Before Christmas". I still have those books, tucked in to my hope chest for future use. We read them to our 3 children when they were younger. The stories always found a way to become new again, each time we read them.
It was in 1994, when our oldest child Luke was 2 when we were first introduced to the Polar Express. My father had bought us all tickets to the Polar Express train/dinner ride out of North Conway, NH. What a treat! By the end of it, we were all "believing" ! The elves whisked us off the train to the North Pole, where the story was read to us. We could see wolves eyes in the trees as we traveled to and from the North Pole. My husband Keith and I were like "was that real?" at the end of the night. Luke's eyes were wide and I think he was awake most of the night after. We had an amazing time.
Since then, when the movie came out I had to have that for the kids. It is still one of our favorites. The themes of "Believe" and "Lead" run through the movie. Each child in the main story line have challenges to overcome, as well as strengths. Together they are stronger. They form friendships as they go through the adventure together. One of my favorite parts is when Santa presents the "first gift" of Christmas to Chris, the main character in the movie. The gift is a small sleigh bell, that rings pure and true.
This past October my family and I ( as well as an entire community) said good-bye to a dear friend of ours. He was literally here one minute and taken the next. No explanation and still none today. Baffling. Leveling. The lessons that Mike taught us are many. He had the gift of helping everyone he met to rise up a bit further, try a bit harder be better people, do more, and reach higher. His lessons live on through the hundreds of people he reached in his life. Within the same 12 hours we learned we will become grandparents in May. Our minds and hearts were confused as we were in a fog of helping the our family friends cope with their loss, and make arrangements to say goodbye. The days that followed were a haze. When the fog lifted we began to process the gift of new life that will soon be coming our way. And our focus went on to the future, and in helping our daughter begin the next chapter in her life as well.
As we approach Christmas, I am reminded of the "first gift". I am thankful for the gift of health as a result of being in the Get Fit NH family. I think of the multiple roles I carry daily: wife, mother, daughter, friend, "glamma" to be, co-worker, employee, Leadership Coach, dance Mom.....the list goes on. I can't be my best self without the "first gift", which is the gift of health. Even when the world goes upside down and sideways( which it will) I have learned to put myself first, so I can help others.
I am thankful to all the coaches at Get Fit NH and for all you do. You are changing lives daily.
Wishing you and your families a healthy, happy holiday! Here is to the "first gift" ....and may that bell never lose it's beautiful sound. Believe , and you will always hear it. 
Cara Wiley
This post is dedicated to Mike B. and to grand-baby A or J with love to you both .