#youngtellsold

I had a plan for my three weeks of leave. Exercise. Read. Relax. Sleep. Write. Get my national ID. Renew my driver's license. Etc...

The first morning I woke up early and took a walk. My back revolted and I was in excruciating pain the whole way. That was the beginning. And the end of power walks. 

I got my National ID (story loading). 

I had downloaded lots of books and after the back incident, I slept in and read. 

One evening my nephew Matthew interrupted my reading, telling me about wanting a six pack. I looked at the six-year old lying on the floor of my room and wondered why the hell he was yapping about rippling abdominal muscles.

When he noticed my interest, he started showing off, contorting himself into all sorts of positions and racing around the room like you know who (hint hint: covid lockdown exercise tips). I was amazed at his energy and  prowess and asked where he'd heard this six packs' KB. 

“My friends do it in school!” He proudly announced, “We have to keep fit! Come and exercise with me.”

I was challenged. After the fiasco with my aching back, I had kind of cancelled any sort  of exercise from my list. 

I looked in my wardrobe for my exercise pants.

“No, maybe tomorrow,” I pleaded. Weak.

“Mama, today. Let me sit on your legs and you do crunches.” 

Eh, this paper was getting hard. 

And so I pulled out my exercise mat and did 50 sit-ups with lots of laughter and encouragement. Every day Matthew would remind me, “Mama I can help you get a six-pack, it’s not hard. So tonight, eh?” 

The lesson here is: mentors do not have to be older, it's not a one-way street. I feel that it is a widely held misconception. Here was a child keeping me on check, helping me to keep fit when I had given up. 

Do I have a six-pack now? (Picture loading)