In the last three days I had a retreat with my friends. On the first day, before heading to the resort , I bought a protein shake, milk, and carb and amino supplement to take along when train during free time. I took along my door gym and hand grips along the way for some fun.

Upon reaching the resort, during the break, I began making my shake, setting my door gym, and eventually started a workout using the either the little gym or my body weight. It was a good workout. I bombed my chest with various push-up angles and performed close-width push-ups, some dips on the bathtub and kickbacks using my gym for my triceps. I also worked my shoulders, calves and glutes after awhile within one hour. I made my post workout shake and headed off for the real purpose of my coming to this retreat; to make up for lost time.

I wasn't just there to train, I needed to take the time to really talk to my brothers and sisters after the fourteen or fifteen years I had not fully utilized to get to know them even better and enjoy heir company. I regret the times I spent kept to myself or almost always refusing to go out and bond with them so that I could hone my skill in the weight room and the ring. Of course I had contact with them and I still talked to them, but sometimes I really wished that I could have spent more quality time with them. Fortunately, I had these three days to say things that I should have told my friends before and listen to the things they had to say. I finally had some really personal quality time with them, sometimes talking about serious issues like, "what problems are you struggling with?" or the smallest things like "are you scared of roaches?" and much more. I may have lost so much sleep trying to make up for fourteen or fifteen years in a span of three short days, but every hour of sleep lost was worth it. For a lifter, good sleep is necessary, but I had to sacrifice that for people whom I love. Since we'll be going our separate ways after years of being together. It seemed reasonable to me to sacrifice my physical growth to spend time to show them that I do care about them, that I want to know them more, and that I will without a doubt miss them when I leave for another country. Somehow it seems that time flew so quickly. One day we were children, now we're grown up and ready to go. It hurt me to say my goodbyes to them and even more to hear their goodbyes to the rest of us. The days may have flew by so quickly, but these last three days have really been worth while. I felt redeemed of not being able to communicate with friends as often as I should have and I made up for lost time. Time with the iron is precious, but moments like these with those I love are priceless. Heck, this all sounds friggin' touchy, but seriously, times like these matter.

Though we must sacrifice things in life for excellence with the iron, people matter. As dedicated lifters, we spend hour after hour at work, sometimes neglecting life's good little things. The gym is home, but people are your family. Though we do inhuman things in the weight room, we are still human. We cannot spend our lives alone. Value those you consider family. Do not make the mistake of taking anyone for granted. As you look back, you'll find that nothing replaces those you call family. Do not wait to enjoy moments with them until the time when you have to say goodbye to them. You'll be sorry when it happens too late.